Your Choice
by Sweet-Strawberry-09
Summary: The balance kept tipping. Good Bad Good Bad It was too much. It was beginning to affect even the adults, not just the children. Pitch may have been defeated after Jack Frost got involved but there were many other things that went bump in the night, than just him. The earth could feel a new coming and pitch had been just the beginning. Balance had to be found. So the earth found it.
1. Chapter 1

"SUZIE!", she screamed full of fear and desperation. "WHERE ARE YOU!" She couldn't see through the smoke, every second she spent in the there was making it harder and harder to breath. The heat was so hard to bear but she had to find Suzie. The fire was only growing by the minute and the nearest fire-fighter station was miles away, the orphanage would be nothing but ashes by the time they arrived. As she bounded up the creaking stairs through the black smoke to look for the girl, she couldn't help but reminisce over the old house's history.

The orphanage had been an old Victorian home, two stories high and a home of a rich aristocrat. The owner had no family though so on his death bed he instructed the home to be converted into an orphanage. She had recently been orphaned when he gave the order house. She had been glad to know that the old man had converted the home into an orphanage, because the nearest one was three towns away. As a young child, she really hadn't wanted to leave the only place she knew, even now seventeen years of age had her decision never changed.

However, at this moment she absolutely hated the Victorian home, because of all the nooks and crannies that little five year old Suzie could hide in. The second floor was almost completely covered in smoke, the only breathable air was being quickly consumed by the fire. It was really ironic that she was stuck in a fire when just outside the building a flurry of snowflakes were falling. However the fire was too strong and despite the raging winds and flurry bits of snow, that seemed to almost attack the fire, it would not be put out.

Her thoughts were beginning to wander, there was a purpose for being there in the middle of a fire, but she couldn't think with all the smoke in her lungs. If the fire didn't kill her the smoke surely would. She couldn't look anymore. _Look for what?_ She wanted to lie down, but she was in a hurry. _Why?_ She was tired and desperate. _Desperate for what?_ she fell to the floor. " _Sqqueeee~"_ She had fallen on a squeaky toy, Suzie's favorite squeaky toy that she never went anywhere without it. _Suzie!_ That's right she still had to find her! The toy was next to a closet, so maybe Suzie was there too. The seventeen year old girl gathered the rest of her strength and flung the closet open, barely even registering the burns the metal door knob had caused. Poor little Suzie was passed out on the ground, with tear tracks smudging her soot covered face.

 _Thank god…_ She thought as she picked up the girl, the limited oxygen in the air had weakened her muscles and made the unconscious child a lot heavier than she actually was. By now the fire had grown and consumed more than half the house. As she stumbled down the creaky stairs and out the front door, that had miraculously not caught on fire, she couldn't help but breath out a sigh of relief at the sight and sound of the nearby firefighter lights and sirens that were just a few minutes away, practically obscured by the surrounding forest.

"DIANE!" someone called out. It was sweet old Ms. Hanes running from the edge of the surrounding forest where the rest of the children were at. As soon as Ms. Hanes took the unconscious child from my arms, my legs gave out with relief and exhaustion, adrenaline having worn off. Not once did I feel the biting cold that came with kneeling on the snow in a nightgown. Breathing was surprisingly hard to do as I was trying to get my eyes to focus. Distantly I could hear Ms. Hanes calling out my name, telling me to get farther away from the fire, but I couldn't get my body to respond. Nor, I couldn't catch my breath, wheezing and coughing racked my body as it tried to expel the smoke that I had breathed in. _How long was I in the fire?_ She recalled a documentary she had read : Humans can only survive 4-6 minutes without oxygen, before death. _It was more than 5 minutes… 'I saved Suzie... not a bad way to go', she_ mused and smiled before blacking out.

Black. It was all black. It was peaceful. _Am I dead?_ There was a beeping noise in the background. _Not yet, then._ She felt tired, cold, and her throat burned. Her chest hurt. The beeping got louder. She felt muddled. She didn't mind dying, but she wasn't exactly ready to give up either. " _I don't want to leave...,the others will be so sad, I'll miss them..."_ was her last thought before the beeping in the background flat lined.

The moonlight was too bright, how was she supposed to sleep if it was shining on her face. She must have left the curtains open, she thought, annoyed at the fact that she would have to fully wake up to close them. _Where is my blanket?_ She moved her arm around, intent on pulling the blanket over her head, in hope of sleeping longer. _Now that I think of it, why is it so cold?!_ She thought groggily finally registering the temperature around her as she shivered. Her hand touched snow covered ground. _Did I fall asleep outside?_ She thought, incredulously, as she was finally roused from her sleep. "What the hell?" she murmured to herself as she sat up and saw the burned remains of a home. Charred ash and blackened bits of wood marred the pure white of the snow around it. The only things that remained of the home was the base structure. Then the memories of the past events and her life finally caught up with her. _My home… it's all gone…_ and then Diane realized, one more thing, that was very important : she was supposed to be dead.

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Note: This work can also be found on **Archive of Our Own** under my other name, Mistress_Jinx ,no I am not ripping off another author.


	2. Chapter 2

**Ch.2 - Panicking and Creeps**

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 _'Dead, how am I DEAD! Wait I saved, Suzie and died by asphyxiation. I know how I died. My real question is HOW AM I STILL HERE?!'_ She started giggling. She was panicking. She did not want to be a ghost. Ghosts were supposed to be spirits with something holding them back from passing on but she couldn't think of anything holding her back. _'I've made peace with my death, so why am I still here?!'_ She got up and looked around, cringing at the cold seeping into her bare feet. _'I'm a ghost wearing a light blue nightgown that can feel cold.'_ A giggle escaped from her mouth, she was dead and was worrying about feeling cold. Then a childish thought came to her as she remembered something about ghosts. _'Can I pass through walls?'_ She thought, a little excited as she walked to the ruins that used to be her home. Then she lightly patted the charred wood, feeling like a complete fool, frowning at the black smudges left on her hand. _'Looks like Ghostbusters got that part wrong.'_ As she looked around for something to wipe her hand with, she managed to stub her toe with a toy block. _'And I can feel pain too, oh joy'_ she thought as she winced at the pain running through her foot. Though she couldn't help but frown at that thought. _'I feel cold, pain and can't pass through walls, so am I really dead? If I am, being dead is not like I imagined it would be.'_ She felt lost. ' _Now what?'_

She was very bored and cold. She had looked through the remains of her home, but couldn't find any clothes or shoes that were her size and not burned beyond recognition. Sighing she sat on the nearest pile of wood. " I miss everyone" she murmured out loud looking up at the brightest part of the sky, the moon. The silence was making her feel desperate and alone. _'I hate this feeling...'_ In all her life she had always been surrounded by loud and happy noises. The only time she could remember this kind of silence was when her parents had died. A memory that she could have done without.

 _*~flashback~*_

 _"Mommy are we there yet? We've been driving for HOURS!" the five year old Diane stated. In reality it had only been one hour of driving. Her mother sighed as she kept her eyes on the road; winter had come early this year and ice covering the road was very common this time of the year."Baby we still have two more hours to go before we get to grammy's place, so why don't you take a nap like daddy did?" Her mother said as she glanced at her husband and scowled. It was obvious to Diane that her mommy wanted to be asleep too, but mommy had lost against her daddy in rock-paper-scissors, so it had to be her turn. "But I'm not sleeeepy~", Diane said as she looked at the window. She wanted to be outside playing in the snow, not inside some stuffy care and especially not one her way Grandma's. The old croon didn't like her or her daddy. It wasn't like she or her dad misbehaved when they were at her house. 'So why?' A five year old Diane wondered, knowing if she voiced her question, her Mommy would be sad. She had made that mistake before last Christmas when she asked why her granny didn't like her. Her mommy had burst into tears right after that, she didn't want to make her cry again. 'If I'm going to be miserable and bored, so will Daddy! Diane thought, annoyed at her dad's peaceful expression through the rear view mirror. "DADDY WAKE UP, IF ME AND MOMMY HAVE TO BE BORED SO DO YOU!"the little five year old screeched, thoroughly annoyed and cranky. Maybe she did need a nap… Her mother started laughing at her daughter's exclamation. Clearly enjoying her husband's startled expression, or maybe it was the girly shriek that he had made when his daughter had woken him up. "Im up, Im up!" her daddy yawned as he rubbed the sleep from his eyes. " Was that really necessary?" he said turning in his seat to look as the self-pleased smile on his daughter's face as she sat content on her booster seat._

 _The little family had continued bickering and laughing as they drove until a nearby dump truck on the opposite road swerved on the ice and slammed into the front of the little family's car. Diane had seen the car slip but could do nothing but freeze and widen her eyes in surprise. Her mommy and daddy noticed the car swerving but they were too close to the truck to avoid it. The car crash happened so fast that the next thing Diane knew, the laughter and smiles inside her car had stopped and the car was no longer warm and stuffy. It was too quiet. "mommy? daddy?" she said as she looked at the prone figures of her parents. Her daddy was aiming away from her so she couldn't see him but she could see her mom easily. Her mommy was leaning on the steering-wheel facing away from her. Diane's five year old mind couldn't understand why her mommy and daddy wouldn't wake up no matter how much she yelled at them. She was cold, scared, alone and only wanted her parent's to wake up and make the cold and scary silence go away. Turn's out the truck driver hadn't gotten hurt one bit from the crash and heard her screaming. The police came a few minutes later and took her away from the man responsible for the crash. They arrested the man and took her away; not listening to her screams and demands to know why they were putting her mommy and daddy in black plastic bags. After that her life in the orphanage had begun._

 _*~flashback end~*_

 _'Sigh, this is so depressing…'_ Diane thought, as she curled up and rested her head on her knees. She was frustrated, alone, and worst of all couldn't help but feel slight fear towards the dark woods that surrounded her broken home. Diane wasn't afraid of the dark, but anyone would feel anxiety if they were in the middle of the woods, at night, with only the moon to show light. _'Can this day get any worse?'_ Apparently, this phrase was cursed, because a rustling noise started coming from the darkest part of the woods. A part that, just so happened, to be right in front of her. _'Aaand I jinxed it'_ She thought with a deadpanned look. She didn't bother to move because she figured if it was an animal they wouldn't want to be near her. _'Animals don't like ghosts right? Or was that only dogs…?'_

The figure that appeared was not an animal, it was a man, or at least it looked like a man to Diane. He was a tall figure with gray like skin, slicked back black hair, golden eyes, a pointy nose and wearing...a black dress? _'A cross-dresser?'_ Diane's fear was completely forgotten as the strange figure creeped up to the moonlight and began cursing at the moon. Not once leaving the shadows of the trees or noticing her in the shadows of her wrecked home. _'Is he insane?'_

 **"Why have you called me here?! Was it not enough that your guardians defeated me, you have to rub it in too?! " Screamed the strange man.** _'Wow he really is insane...and kinda creepy looking…'_ Diane thought,feeling disturbed at seeing the man scream profanities at the moon. **"What do you mean they have escaped?! The seal is unbreakable and hidden in the shadows, no one should be able to reach it without me knowing!"** The stranger yelled looking as if his worst nightmare had come to life as he stared at the moon. _'He is definitely insane, and I should really get away before he sees me!_ ' She thought, no longer trusting in in her common knowledge of ghosts. _' I feel pain and cold so there's no real reason why people won't see me!'_ Diane reasoned, not once believing in her thoughts. _' I could visit the children!_ ' Diane thought, exited and happy, however she began to shiver at an especially cold gust of wind. Her nightgown did not provide her with an ounce of warmth _'and maybe find some warmer clothes while I'm at it… Now to just get away quiet-'_

 **"YOU DIDN'T! WHY WOULD YOU CALL THEM! ONLY SANDMAN WAS TO KNOW OF THEIR EXISTENCE AND NOW YOU PLAN TO INCLUDE THE OTHER FOUR! The council will not be happy"** The stranger said ending in a growl.

 _'Did he say sandman? The creep probably got away from his care takers.'_ Diane thought as she stealthily walked to the opposite side of the woods. _'How unlucky for him that the temperature is meant to drop to its lowest point tonight.'_ This thought stopped Diane from making her escape as she realised that the man would indeed die if he stayed in the cold. As fear for the stranger's health crept into her caring heart, any of her chances of getting away had vanished.

 **"Lunanoff, I thought you had not enough power to bring back any more children from the dead?"**

Her heart skipped a beat as the silky growl spoke from behind her. She looked down as she noticed black shadowy hands grasp out towards her from the woods, easily visible against the shadow cast by the clouds over her, and inadvertently stepped back towards the man, heart racing .

 **"My, my now isn't your fear just delectable!"** The man purred into her ears in a cheerful voice as he curled his fingers over her shoulders.

Diane was too petrified with fright to even think of moving or notice the surprised sound the man made as he grasped her shoulders.

 **"So you do believe, how rare and adorable that a girl your age would fear in me. Looks like my pets and I will feast tonight"** The man said as he waved his hand infront of her transforming the black shadow hands into grotesque monsters that she had only ever seen in her dreams.

 _'HE'S NOT HUMAN!'_ Diane thought as she gazed into the yellow eyes of the monsters before her. So Diane did the only thing a person in her position could do and fainted in the arms of the stranger.

 **"What a pity, the fun ended before it could begin."** The man said scowling at the young girl, remembering quite clearly how she had given the children at the orphanage spray bottles to scare of the 'Big Bad Boogie Man'. **'My robe was always soaking wet after she interfered! '** The man frowned, realizing what her rebirth implied and began scowling at the moon.

 **"You are making quite a habit of bringing back dead children to deal with your problems, Lunanoff. I wonder what the Guardians will think of your newest creation."** The man said as he returned gazed to the young girl in his arms whom he carried 'princess style' and flicked his wrist to dismiss his shadow monsters now that the fun was gone _**'She didn't even try to fight back… how boring.'**_

 **"One more spirit will make no difference against what was unleashed, surely you must realize? Even with the help of those five fools and the girl, we won't win."** The man said as he turned his gaze toward the moon, face impassive as ever.

 _"She is not of my creation Pitch, Jack is the last I will create for quite a while. Creating a spirit with full control of a season took far too much magic. Magic that will take time to return. Time that we don't have."_

 **"No one else is capable of creating another spirit, Lunanoff! Let alone turning a human soul into one! Who else can she belong to?!"** He sneered at the reminder of the frost spirit and his great failure of the year before, even though, in the back of his mind, he had a sinking feeling as he recalled the face of a young woman with green eyes and flowing black hair. _**'She could be strong enough…'**_

 _"It was not Katherine, nor any of the council. As odd as it may seem she just appeared in a swirl of blackened ash, snow, shadows, and moonlight. A mixture of black and white if you will. Her original body has not even been buried yet…"_

 **"You've gone senile in your old age Lunanoff, to be reborn a spirit the body must return to the earth or be destroyed, before the soul can be brought back! All spirits know this!"** His golden eyes narrowed at what Lunanoff was implying.

 _"And yet there she is, living proof of what we thought impossible"_

 **~In the near distance bells can be heard~**

 **"It would seem your guardians have finally arrived"** Pitch grumbled, as he looked back down to the strange girl in his arms that, oddly enough, slept peacefully while near him. Showing to all that could see, a peaceful smile on her face.

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So second chapter done, what do yall think? I love reading the reviews for my stories so don't hesitate to add something. Soon this story will be posted in Wattpad as well (as soon as I remember my password...)

Special Shout outs to my first Reviewer Waterwitch222, thank you for reviewing I'm glad you liked it and to my two good friends Ducky and Kimy for reviewing and editing the story and helping me bounce around ideas. It is because of them that I have half of the story planned out already (The rest is still in debate...)

No I do not own ROTG I only own my O'Cs and the plot bunny that spawned this story.


	3. Chapter 3

**Ch.3 - Monsters and Moonlight**

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Pitch could see the Guardians arriving as he backed up and wrapped himself in the forest's shadows, watching with mirth as the _Mighty_ Pooka warrior threw himself to the ground grasping at the snow covered dirt the second the sleigh touched down. None of the Guardians had sensed him upon their arrival.

" _Sweet mother of god I'm alive!_ " Screamed the rodent. He didn't understand why Bunnymund didn't use his tunnels, the ground wasn't even frozen yet. His annoyance continued to grow as the rest of Lunanoff's miscreant group exited the sleigh. North was as jolly and _loud_ as ever, making comments to the Toothiana and Sanderson about 'Man in moon's odd request' not once noticing that Toothiana's was busy sending her fairies to work or that the Sandman had fallen asleep. ' _Behold, the mighty warriors of Earth and conquerors of the Boogieman'_ he thought dryly unable to believe that the ragtag group of idiots had managed to defeat him. Though, he felt his spirits rise a bit at the sight of Frost bothering the rodent. The boy would have made a great partner in crime. Too bad he was just as 'Good' as the rest of the Guardians. ' _You try and eradicate a few races and take control, and suddenly you're the '_ _ **Bad Guy',**_ ' _Sigh, he was not looking forward to working with the Guardians…"_ The girl shifted in his arms " _then again they're my only chance to get rid of her before she wakes up and, God forbid, had to_ _ **care**_ _for her."_ He thought, shuddering, then felt Bunnymund's remaining fear of heights evaporate and turn to complete annoyance towards the frost spirit.

' _ **No more fear? Well that just won't do, looks like it's time for my grand entrance, '**_ He thought with a chuckle, a malicious grin forming on his face. He expanded his control over the forest's shadows and used them to create a swirling black vortex around the Guardians, enjoying their taste of fear and surprise on his tongue. His joy lasted for only a moment before Jack slammed his staff to the ground, instantly freezing and destroying the vortex. ' _What a kill joy, so much for Guardian of_ _ **Fun**_ _.'_ He thought with a frown.

"PITCH! SHOW YOURSELF YA COWARD!" screamed Bunnymund. He and the other Guardians had formed a circle, with their backs to each other facing the darkened forest, waiting for Pitch to attack. An attack that never came. "Did he leave?" whispered Toothiana, as she flittered in place staring at the dark forest, unable to make out anything in the dark.

' _Now to just let the suspense rise a bit more~, ah! There it is. Anxiety and apprehension tinged with a hint of fear for the unknown. Delicious~"_ He thought, waiting for the perfect moment to reveal himself. The moment never came as the moon, purposely, shined light towards Pitch to the point where he was still hidden in the shadows but could easily be seen. ' _oh crud'_ He thought as the Guardian's heads snapped to Pitch and smirked in unison. Though their faces quickly changed to confusion, surprise, horror and righteous anger as they saw a young girl in his arms.

"How **dare** you! Screeched Toothiana, as she cracked her knuckles, ready to fly towards Pitch and knock a few teeth out. The rest of the Guardians reacted in a similar manner as North raised his sabers, Sandman formed his whips, Bunnymund raised a few egg bombs, and Jack…was nowhere to be seen.

' _Wait where's Jack?!'_ Pitch thought in horror, only just realizing that the temperature near him had dropped when he felt something sharp poke him in the neck.

"Make any sudden movements and I _will_ _**impale**_ you" hissed Jack Frost from behind Pitch, stabbing him just hard enough with his staff's sharp icicle growing at the top, to cause him discomfort. The fury in his voice could not be missed. So Pitch did the only thing he could do in that moment and bit back the bile that rose at the thought of asking _Lunanoff_ for help.

" **Assistance would be much appreciated at this moment Lunanoff. That is unless you wish to lose my help with the upcoming problems."** He growled, glaring at the moon; trying to save what little pride he had left. As happy as the Frost child tended to be, he could be downright frightful when angered. ' _Sigh, What a waste of such potential'_ he mused mournfully.

' _Stand down Guardians, the girl is not hurt. She has merely fainted from fright, but we have more important matters to discuss'_ The moon stated, enjoyment oddly visible in its glow as he mentioned the cause of the girl's fainting, which promptly disappeared as he went serious.

" **Wow. Thanks. That was REALLY helpful"** he said sarcastically, rolling his eyes as he noticed that the Guardians had not relaxed and continued to glare but did turn to the moon as they listened to what Lunanoff had to say. The imminent threat of getting impaled went away as Frost lowered his staff. But instead of returning to his group he just stood in front of him staring at the girl in his arms with a confused expression. This expression was then pointed towards Pitch, as the girl shivered and tried to burrow into Pitch's chest causing shadows to form around the girl as the shadows transformed into a makeshift blanket.

" **Had I wanted to harm the child, I assure you, she would be dead. Shouldn't you be listening to what Lunanoff has to say instead of ogling the new spirit?"** He growled, annoyed at the Frost spirit's odd stare. Not really registering the girl's actions, let alone _his shadow's actions,_ as his annoyance towards Jack continued to grow.

"North and the others will fill me in later. I'm more interested in the fact that she should be afraid of you, why haven't you given her any nightmares?" Jack stated voice full of curiosity, easily ignoring Pitch's latter comment. He really was curious about the girl's lack of fear and the fact that she was new, but he was much more interested in Pitch's odd use of shadows for a blanket. He didn't even think Pitch had noticed what he had done for the girl. 'I knew he wasn't completely heartless! Bunny, you owe me 50 bucks!' he thought gleefully.

" **The fact that you're tasked with taking care of children is worrisome, Frost."** Pitch stated with a deadpan expression, ignoring the rest of Jack's question. He too was confused as to why the girl wasn't afraid of him, his mere presence should inspire fear and dread without him trying!

"So, you're being _nice_ to the girl?" Jack questioned, Pitch's annoyed expressions were almost as funny as Bunny's when he got mad. Their faces would always take on a constipated kind of look when they were annoyed.

" **No! Now will you stop bothering me!"** He hissed, finally being fed up with Jack's questions.

"But Manny said you made her faint, so you are being nice!"

" **In what world is THAT being nice!"**

"You're carrying her aren't you? You could have just let her fall in the snow. Plus,you gave her a fluffy blanket"

" **And have her get** _ **HYPOTHERMIA!?**_ **Are you mad!? And what blanket are you talk...ing...about?"** His shadows had made a blanket, A BLANKET. Before he could dwell on the fact that **his** shadows had transformed _themselves,_ **without** _ **his**_ _PERMISSION,_ into a fluffy blanket for the girl, the moon soon called upon the pair to rejoin the rest of the group to hear his explanation.

 _Before the world had the Guardians and the spirit council, spirits and gods ran amok in this world. Gods destroyed villages and demanded sacrifices as they wished, and spirits did what they wanted. This time was called the_ _ **Dark ages**_ _, not just because of Pitch Black's involvement, but because of the lack of peace in the world. The planet's soul could take no more bloodshed so it asked me a favor. What it wanted was peace and order in the realm of spirits, so the council was created, however not all spirits were ready to relinquish their power, so they fought back. Hundredths of humans, whole families, were decimated and Pitch lent us his help in restoring peace. However-_

" **As nice as my involvement sounds the spirits were destroying my food source suppliers, so I was forced to join"** Pitch cut in, he couldn't have the moon describe him as some sort of 'Good Guy'.

"Pitch, quiet, is not good to interrupt Manny" North chided in a serious voice as he turned back to the moon. "Manny, old friend, please continue"

 _However, there were three spirits that were particularly evil. They had spilled so much blood that their centers where forever corrupted. Alone, each where as strong as Pitch once was during the Dark ages; when they worked together Pitch and the council could not stop them. So Earth and I were forced to intervene. We could not destroy them for their powers were too strong, so our only option was to seal them away deep within Earth, where no man nor spirit could have reach them. The seal has held long, and the Earth has healed, though now it slumbers. The seal took up much of it's power. The rest of the corrupt spirits were either sealed away or simply ceased to exist. And you, my Guardians, my children, were born to take away the fear that was left behind. Peace and balance was achieved. Never again where those three ever supposed to see the light of day again, however something has gone ary. The seal has broken and-_

However before the moon could finish his explanation, the new spirit's face contorted into a face of horror and let loose a blood curling scream.

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 _*'HE'S NOT HUMAN!' Diane thought as she gazed into the yellow eyes of the monsters before her. So Diane did the only thing a person in her position could do and fainted in the arms of the stranger. *_

She could feel warm arms around her, but she couldn't think. ' _Why did I feel so afraid ?'_ She was comfortable, tired, and completely welcomed the sweet bliss of sleep.

' _ **Open your eyes, little one, it is time to learn of your purpose'**_ _,_ spoke a quite melodic voices in her mind. The voices sounded so comforting and nice, so Diane did as she was told. The space around her was a black abyss, yet she could see herself. Internally she whined, she wanted more peacefulness and less creepiness.

"Hello?" In a blink of an eye, a white specter appeared in front of her, the figure was neither male or female.

' _ **Watch and pay attention young one it is imperative that you realise who your foes are.'**_

' _Foes?'_

Then the black abyss scene changed to a ruined village wrought with despair, children and parents were crying and screaming as a horned human like creature took the children and stuffed them into a brown bag.

" **Why? Why am I watching this?!"** ' _The poor children they look so scared'_ Diane couldn't help but feel tears at the sight of one of the children trying to hold on to their parents; but he couldn't hold on.

" **Please! Can't we help them?!"** Diane pleaded to the silver specter, never taking her teary eyes off of the scene happening right in front of her.

' _ **This is a scene of the past, there is no helping those that have already passed on. The creature you see there is Krampus, he is a creature created from all the dark thoughts parents feel when their child misbehaves. He was created by those feelings and as a result he would come once a year, on Christmas day actually, to take the most unruliest of children. However he soon developed a taste for the innocent, no longer did he punish the wicked, but instead came for those that were pure and quite often too. '**_

' _ **He's the reason Lunoff created Santa actually' the spirit though, 'they're the reason most the Guardians were created, to balance off the wrong.**_

Then the scene changed, what was once a distraught village changed to woods in the middle of the season fall. Diane and the silver spirit stood at the edge of a clearing, hidden in the shadows. Soon the trees parted and out came Krampus, screaming and crying could be heard coming from the brown leather bag that it had over his shoulder. However the monstrous figure began to shrink and its face began to shift. Krampus no longer looked like a nine foot tall monitor with two foot long horns, but rather a stern looking man ,eight foot tall, with oily black hair and two horns only half their original length. He threw the bag of children into the middle of the clearing and sat down seeming to be waiting for someone. His upper body was uncovered and full of scares and wore dirty black leather pants and walked barefoot. However it was his belt that was the most disturbing, the belt was made out of small skulls belonging to some of the children that he had consumed.

' _ **However Krampus was not the only dark spirit to develop a taste for children, there were two others. Their names are Katar a fae spirit who delved in black magic and curses and Ostara a cast aside goddess who was once worshiped for spring and fertility. Katar developed a sort of obsession over teeth; originally, he obtained the teeth for the magical properties that they contained. However, he soon became consumed by his need for baby teeth once he found that the younger and purer the teeth owners where, the greater the power that he obtained. He began to steal the small children to rob them of their teeth, once the teeth where in his possession he would eat them, bone and all. The teeth were always the only thing he would never eat. Ostara was once praised as the goddess of spring and fertility and much like the gods of the old she was given human sacrifices, in specific, children. Being the goddess of fertility the humans had thought she would enjoy the flesh of virgins, for their innocence. They had thought right, because she enjoyed soaking in the blood of the children and stripping their little bodies clean of their meat. Once she lost the belief of the humans and the sacrifices, she became enraged. She had lost a lot of power and become addicted to the blood of innocents so she began to steal away the wandering children that strayed too far from their homes and entered the forest. It didn't take long for these three dark spirits to meet due to their shared...interests.'**_

It would seem Krampus' wait would not last for long as two figures appeared from opposite side of the clearing. The figure that emerged first was an elfin like creature with milky white skin. He was about five feet tall and his eyes were pure black, not a single bit of white was seeable. He was a slim man with a total of six wings protruding from his back. Each wing resembles that of a dragonfly's and were three feet long. The most disturbing thing about him though where his accessories, they were made only of baby teeth : necklaces, two bracelet, a belt and ring. The milky white of the teeth standing out against the blue and black of his tunic and pants. On his face under his right eye was a black teardrop tattoo, the mark of a murderer in the fae world.

The second to emerge was much more human like and very beautiful, however it was the woman's cobalt eyes that shined with a cold cruelness that really stood out. She was taller than Katar, about six feet tall with caramel skin and light gold-brown hair that reached to about her waist. She wore a white flowy dress that stopped to her mid-thighs and had no sleeves. She walked barefoot to the clearing.

As the two newcomers walked/flew to the clearing Krampus rose to meet them, throwing the bag of children in front of the pair.

"I sssee you have brought usss dinner Krumpuss" hissed Katar, as a pleased malicious smile spread on his face, his teeth were thin and sharp like hundredths of needles, ready to tear into the soft flesh of his meal.

"I want the youngest child, their meat is always so tender and ever so sweet!~ Especially when they are too young to help with the chores in their homes. And yes Katar you can have the teeth, and you Krampus the bones." Ostara said in an overly sweet voice accompanied with an equally sweet smile as she pranced to the bag, ready to find her meal.

As the three conversed about who would eat what, Diane could take no more and broke down into sobs.

" **No more, no more! I can't! Please don't make me see them kill the children, PLEASE! I can't…"** She sobbed horrified by what she had already seen.

' _ **Can you sense their centers yet?'**_

At this Diane paused, confused by the question. " **What is that?"**

' _ **It is what makes up a spirit's being, it is much like their power source. However if you have not sensed them then we must stay. For it is after they consume, that their centers will be at their strongest. Though if it makes you feel any better, little one, everything that has happened is but a memory of the past, forever embedded in the area. The souls of the children have long passed one, though they will not be at rest until their bones and teeth are buried… ah, perhaps that was not very good either…'**_

' _That did not make me feel any better!_ Diane thought as she stared horrified at the specter. However before she could voice her thoughts, the spirit rushed to grab her head, and turned her to face the gruesome sight before her.

' _ **Forgive me child'**_ However Diane could not hear the spirit, or anything, beyond screams of pain and fear. The three dark spirits had chosen their prey and began feeding on them while the children screamed in pain and some begged for death. Diane could only stare, unblinking at the carnage before her.

' _no… this isn't real...please, someone! Anyone! Wake me up from this nightmare! PLEASE!'_ she thought as tears began to flow freely down her face. The scene forever seared within her mind.

Soon the screams died down, as the last child finally died. All three spirits were covered in the blood of the children. The last thing Diane felt before the scene changed to a familiar black abyss, was the suffocating darkness of the spirits pressing on her soul. A darkness that she would not soon forget.

"no more… please…."She sobbed, as she hugged herself. Everytime she closed her eyes, she saw the children's faces as they screamed in pain. She could still hear the screams.

' _ **There is still two more thing you must witness, my child, before you can wake up. Please, you must understand this is important'**_ The specter pleaded.

"I SAID NO MORE!" she screamed eyes shut, as she curled up and covered her ears. The children's cries may have stopped but she could still hear their voices echoing in her mind.

' _ **If we do not stop them, they will harm again! And this time they may harm the ones you know and love...they could even harm Suzie and the rest of the orphans. Balance must be achieved!'**_

' _No, I won't let them get hurt!'_

"What do I have to do?" she whispered, as she finally uncovered her ears and focused on the specter. A frown evident on her face.

' _ **We have two more scene to watch, please bear with me they won't take too long, infact you might enjoy the next scene'**_ the voice said in a lighter tone, trying to cheer her up'

Then the black abyss changed to a scene of pure chaos and destruction.

The three dark spirits where in mid combat with a group of other spirits who were trying to corral them to a sigl written on the ground. The forest around them covered seemed to have taken the brunt of the destruction as multitude of trees were broken and chared. From the looks of it, the three dark spirits were loosing.

"We will not fall! We will not stay caged forever, _**Pitch!**_ And when we rise, we will raise **HELL**!" screamed Ostara as she was caught in black chains held by a familiar man in a pure black coat.

However Diane could not place his face or voice, as she was having too much fun watching the three spirits get what they deserved.

His face clearly showing his hate and distaste for Ostara. Her once pure white dress,was ripped in several places and her once pristine skin dirtied by her various cuts and bruises. Her hair was in complete disarray.

" **You have caused enough trouble and taken too many lives. Enjoy your imprisonment because you will not see the light of day again!"** Screamed Pitch, as he tossed the enraged woman into the sigl which glowed white then green as she disappeared within the seal.

"We may have lossst the battle but we will not lossse the war"Katar hissed enraged. He had been the next to fall as he was caught in a trap made by the Sandman and the Spirit herald of Fall.

" **We will have our revenge!"** screamed Krampus as he was the last to fall. He had only lost when the remaining spirits set their sight on him and overpowered him. He may have been strong, but he was no match against six strong spirits.

" **Enjoy your life of imprisonment~"** Pitch said happily as Krampus was slowly sucked into the seal.

"He's the creep who scared me and was screaming at the moon!"Diane realised with a jolt.

"so he stopped the bad spirits?" she mused as the scene she was watching began to fade. ' _maybe he's not that bad then?'_

' _ **Yes, Pitch Black, King of Nightmares, was the key piece we needed back then to seal up the spirits. Now on to the last scene, but you must be silent and stay out of sight … for this is going on as we speak.'**_

Soon the scene faded away and was changed, this time the surroundings were of a dark damp room with a large sigl in the middle. However there was nowhere to hide so Diane had to rely on the shadows of the room to hide her, unbeknownst to her that she had already been spotted. Right by the seal, where two men standing, Krampus and a man dressed in white robes with a silver metalic staff, his hair a pure white, that reached to his shoulders. The man and Krampus where breaking the seal intent on releasing the two still trapped within.

And thus the seal broke with a resounding crack as the ground in which the sigl was written cracked open and Katar flew out, while Ostara was helped out by Krampus.

"Thank you Boreas, we are indebted to you. We-"Ostara began, still in the arms of Krampus

"Enough I did not free you all, to receive your thanks. I need your skills, however before I continue, it would seem that Earth is still meddling in your affairs" The man named Boreas said as he pointed his staff toward Diane.

' _Oh crud!'_

Instantly Katar flew towards her, and grabbed her by the shoulders as he leaned down to smile widely at her.

"Ssshe has lost all her baby teeth sso I don't want her, do you want her Osstara? Krampuss?"Katar said, twisting his head as he looked behind him.

' _This is not happening!'_

As Katar said this, Diane was frozen in fear. Flashes of the children being eaten alive entering her mind. She could feel Katar's fingers sharpen slowly against her shoulders to the point where the pain from his hold snapped her out of her shock. So she did the only thing she could think of and pushed Katar away leaving matching claw marks on each of her shoulders.

"Get away!" Diane screamed as she stumbled back and ran, however she didn't get far as a black whip coiled around her right leg and pulled her back. While she was on her back, Ostara pounced.

"I WANT HER!" Ostara screamed as she pinned Diane down, quickly leaning down to lick at her cuts.

' _PLEASE NO!'_

"She's tastes so pure and so innocent! Look at the way she cowers isn't it adorable?" Ostara giggled maniacally.

"It's been so looong since I've eaten, please Krampus, may I have her?" Ostara said, licking her lips.

" **Do what you want, leave the bones for me"** Krampus said as he turned away to look at the broken seal.

As Ostara leaned down to bite down on her neck, Diane shut her eyes and screamed.

Never once noticing that she was no longer away pinned down to the stone ground, but actually in the arms of Pitch Black.


	4. Chapter 4

****Ch.4 - Fairy Tales and Bickering****

* * *

The girl had started screaming so suddenly, Pitch had nearly dropped her from surprise, his shadow blanket receding in his surprise.

"What the hell did you do to her!?" Screamed Jack Frost as the rest of the Guardians crowded around. All looking angrily at Pitch.

 **"** ** **I did nothing! Sanderson can't you do something?!"**** Pitch said, as he lowered the thrashing girl to the ground who had begun to cry. Then he noticed matching cuts on both the girl's shoulders.

 ** _'When? How did she get hurt!? I've been carrying her this whole time!?'_** He thought in confusion. The matter was quickly forgotten as slight panic formed as the sandman threw a ball of sand in his direction.

The sandman threw a ball of dream sand at the girl hoping to calm her down, but, to everyone's surprise and worry, the sand had no effect.

So Pitch did the only thing he could do, and slapped the girl across the face.

* * *

She couldn't stop screaming, she could still feel the spirits' oppressive presence near her. Distantly she noticed that someone was shaking her and that she had not felt Ostara's teeth bite her. But the fright that she felt wouldn't leave her, that is, until she felt a sharp pain across her face, easily registering the pain as a slap.

* * *

The girl instantly opened her frightened teary eyes, looking shocked and tense. She blinked, and looked around, oddly enough, flinching away from the guardians and inching closer to Pitch. The second she looked at him, she visibly relaxed and wrapped her arms around his neck, hugged the Nightmare King with a strong grip. The man who had defeated the corrupted ones. The only one in her mind that could keep her safe.

The Nightmare King's face mirrored the Guardians, both filled with shock.

 **"** ** **Child...It would be in your best interest to eh...release me"**** the man she was hugging said, voice easily showing his discomfort. It was odd. The second the girl had started screaming, her fear began to emit in waves. Such strong fear usually took time forming, her's just began so suddenly. Even weirder was that children who where afraid usually cringed away from him, not to him.

Diane didn't respond, the shock and fear of everything that she had witnessed were still being processed in her mind. So like any child, seeking comfort, still sobbing, she hid her face in the crook of the Nightmare King's neck, and refused to let go.

The Guardians and the Nightmare King where out of their depth, they didn't know what to do with the sobbing girl. So the Nightmare King did the only thing he could do and awkwardly held her praying to whatever deity that was listening that he wouldn't get snot on his robe. Internally he grimaced, ' _there is nothing more nerve wracking than trying to calm down a crying child'._ To his surprise and the Guardians she slowly began to calm.

 **"** ** **Would you like to let me go now?"**** Pitch said, annoyance clear in his voice, though if you saw his face you would see the obvious discomfort he felt at being hugged. Slowly she released her iron grip from his neck, her eyes were red from her tears. However she did not let go of his robe, which was clenched in a death grip.

"Hey sheila you ok?" Bunnymund said, as he crouched down making himself as small and as unintimidating as possible, slowly inching towards the girl.

Diane had nothing to say as she looked shocked at the large animal before her.

' _The bunny just talked…it looks so fluffy… '_ was the only thing running in her mind.

"Bah! Of course she not alright, she was crying! I know what will make her better, cookies!"

North said as he reached into his pockets, pulling out three crumbled, chocolate chip cookies and closing in on the girl, not noticing how she shrank against pitch.

"North! Can't you see how you're scaring her!" Tooth said as she flew to block North's pass. This time the Guardians and Pitch noticed her flinch away from the Tooth.

"You...You're afraid of me? Tooth said as her wings drooped.

"I… I don't really know what to think..." Diane hiccupped in a quiet voice, as she tried to sort through her fear, confusion, and shock.

"I-I died, then there were these scary shadow monsters an-and I fainted, I had this REALLY weird dream freak me out and now I'm seeing and talking to things that just don't, CAN'T, exist! Oh god, I'm going insane!" She whimpered as her eyes began to tear up again, not noticing how Pitch cringed at the mention of his shadow monsters or how the guardians began to collectively glare at Pitch.

"WAIT! Don't cry! Ah maybe the moon would be better at explaining? He created you right?" Jack said, nervous at the thought of seeing the girl cry again, but understanding what the girl was feeling as he had gone through something similar when he was first created.

" _How can the moon explain anything?"_ Diane thought, beginning to think that these people were insane...though that still didn't explain the huge bunny and gold little man.

 **"** ** **The moon didn't create her, he said she just appeared"**** Pitch drawled as stood, lifting the girl up with him.

"I wasn't created by anyone! I died and just woke up here in the middle of the clearing!"

 **'** ** _ **Then perhaps I can clear things up?'**_** A familiar ethereal voice spoke as a silver being appeared near the group.

"You weren't a dream!" Diane said, surprised, oh how she had hoped the dream wasn't real.

 **'** ** _ **No, I am the spirit of the earth, and you, my dear, are the first being in centuries to be reborn by my power. You are not the child of the moon like the others here, you are of my creation. You are simply here to prevent the scales from tipping out of balance. You are here to capture the escaped spirits, you are their seal. The Guardian of Balance. However your body was only created to hold in their souls, their centers, to capture and take the centers you will need the Guardians' assistance. I expect for them to help you, am I correct in my assumption, Lunanoff?' Pitch will you help too?**_**

 **"** ** **Do I have a choice?"**** Pitch drawled, hiding his surprise. No one had heard from the earth spirit for centuries and the last spirit to be created by earth had gone insane. He had just been a child like her too.

 **'** ** _To think the Earth would condemn a child to be the jail and jailer of those vile creatures. She will be driven insane just like her predecessor.'_**

The girl's situation awoke a memory of his from before he became Pitch Black. From when he was chosen to leave his loved ones, to guard the fearlings. From when children didn't run in fear from him. From when he was not the 'bad guy'. To think the girl would have to suffer a similar fate,

 **'** **...** ** _how cruel… '_**

' _Of course, my children will gladly help your child. Though I must ask, how are you awake?_

 **'** ** _ **When the seal broke much of my power returned, so I awoke. Though my powers returned I am still too weak to create another seal like I had before, a pure human soul is the only other thing that can hold them back. An uncorrupted soul willing to sacrifice themselves for the good of the children. That is why you are here now, Diane. I witnessed what you had done for the girl. Even though you had no obligation to return to the fire, as soon as you realized the child was still in there you ran back to get her, you saved her.'**_**

"... you saw me save Suzie...so this is all real? They are real?" The girl murmured with wide eyes, looking at the guardians.

 **'** ** _Did she think this was a dream?'_** Pitch thought, uncomfortable with the girl's fate.

 **'** ** _ **Now you must listen my time is almost up I don't know if I'll be strong enough to contact you again for a while. In order for you to succeed and seal their souls they must first be defeated. This is where the others will help you. What you will do is feel for their center and take it from their bodies. So long as the centers are in your possession they will stay in a pearl form, do not let them out of your sight. The purity of your soul will be the only thing keeping them in that form. If they should escape, they would no longer be restricted by a corporeal form and cause more damage than what they could have done originally. Now I must go my child, may fortune walk with you. Oh and one more thing, Pitch be a dear and watch over my child? Not that I don't trust the Guardians but… should the spirits find out about her existence your shadow traveling would be very convenient for a quick get-away. With that said, goodbye. '**_**

 **"** ** **Wait What?!' I refuse to keep this clingy child with me -wait I'm not finished with you COME BACK!"**** ' _This is Exactly what I had wanted to avoid!'_

But it was already too late as the great earth spirit started to dissipate into fine mist leaving no trace but a gentle breeze and a light earthy scent

"You have gotta be joking! Pitch Black, Nightmare King extraordinaire is going ta be taking care of our only chance of sealing away the spirits! Might as well just sit back and let em take over the world!" Bunny ranted, ears folded back and pointing at Pitch.

 **"** ** **I'm not exactly**** ** _ **happy**_** ** **with this either, rodent"**** Pitch growled as he stalked closer, wondering if the rodent's death would hinder them in

capturing the rogue spirits. **'** ** _It would be worth it!'_**

"Bunny! Earth always has plan! If she an Manny trust Pitch, then so do I!" North exclaimed as he got in between the two tense spirits.

"What, ya feel it in your belly again, North!" Bunny mocked causing North to narrow his eyes.

"Of course I do! An I have faith in Manny's decisions unlike you!" North said as poked bunny in the chest.

Soon the Tooth Fairy, Jack, and the sandman joined in the bickering, while Diane just stood back dazed by the past few hours' events, ' _had it really been only a few hours?'_ and stared what her life had become, though, slightly bemused by the short man's form of communication.

(In the background) "Ah! Sandy you take that back!" The irate russian, stated, as the short man's signs continued to flash in the air angrily.

' _This is worse than at the orphanage when the kids are fighting over the TV! Aren't grown-ups supposed to be too old for fighting like this?'_ she thought as she bit her lip, wondering why the people seemed so familiar, no she was sure she had never seen them before in her life, but she had heard of them. Then memories of old bedtime stories resurfaced, stories of when her parents were still alive, stories filled with miracles, fairies, and magic, a time when she still believed before it was crushed by the world's harsh reality. Her parent's death had left her broken. It had made her favorite bedtime stories a painful reminder of what she once had, now the story's main characters were right in front of her.

' _You have got to be joking with me!'_ she thought as the realization came to her. The Tooth Fairy, Sandman, Santa, the Easter Bunny, Jack Frost, and the Boogey man were right in front of her! She pinched herself and grimaced at the pain. ' _Ow… '_ Nope she was not dreaming. ' _My life is so weird… Just once I would like to have a normal day in my afterlife! Is that too much to ask?!'_ and then she shivered, because her nightgown was still no match against the night's biting cold that came with the season of winter.

* * *

 _Your charge will catch a cold, Pitch, if she continues to stay here out in the cold. Earth will not be happy to know her youngest got sick because of your neglect. You know how protective she can be when her children are hurt._ (Pitch paled at the thought) _And Guardians? Introduce yourselves to your newest member, the Guardian of Balance._ The man in the moon stated as he cut off his connection through the moonbeams, leaving the Guardians and Pitch too stunned for words. And he walked off into the recess of his home in the moon. Stopping only at the door that led to his study. He was well aware of the fact that the girl could not have heard him, the Earth's children never could, how he had not know who the girl was from the very beginning was anyone's best guess. He just hoped the group would be able to handle the problems to come without the Earth and his aid. While Earth was still weak from the last seal, creating a new season herald had taken quite a toll on him, much of the reason why he had not been able to speak to the boy for those three hundred years. Even know he was not up to par on his power levels. Now the group consisted of two relatively new spirits, a weakened spirit, though pitch was far from weak, four guardians who knew nothing of the matters at hand, three season heralds who mourned the loss of their fourth member, and two beings that could do nothing but watch because their powers were drained. Their odds against the three corrupt spirits and a possible fourth member, because the seal could not have been broken without outside help, were not looking good at all. Maybe now was the time to cash in some favors that other spirits owed him, because as they were the rag tag group did not stand a chance against what was coming.


	5. Chapter 5

**Ch.5 - More Bickering and... Kidnapping?**

* * *

 _Your charge will catch a cold, Pitch, if she continues to stay here out in the cold. Earth will not be happy to know her youngest got sick because of your neglect. You know how protective she can be when her children are hurt. And Guardians? Introduce yourselves to your newest member, the Guardian of Balance._

" **...You have got to be joking…"** Pitch hissed out loud, pinching the bridge of his nose, he could already feel a migraine forming. Subconsciously he summoned a warm blanket from the shadows of his home. The blanket would have to do until he could get her warmer things.

Meanwhile the Guardians had gotten over their momentary shock and had flocked to the girl, congratulating and subsequently overwhelming her.

"You're going to love being a Guardian! I'm so glad to finally have another girl on the team! I'm the tooth fairy. My names Toothiana, but you can call me Tooth. Ooh, let's look at your teeth~" squealed Tooth flittering around her, not noticing the girl's growing distress.

"M-my teeth?" Diane choked out, memories instantly going back to Katar, and started to back away from the oncoming group.

The tooth fairy never got a chance to look, as North quickly blocked her and grabbed Diane crushing her in a hug.

"New member! To the Pole, book must be signed!" he said as he quickly started walking to the sleigh, the girl struggling in his grip, not that he noticed.

' _New member? Book? What?'_ Diane thought as she struggled in the old Cossack's strong grip.

"North! Put the girl down ya bloody wanker! Can't ya see she don't like it?!" Bunnymund reprimed, grabbing the squirming girl and putting her down.

"But everyone likes Santa, Bunny!"

"That doesn't mean she wants ta be crushed, by him! By the way sheila, I'm Aster E. Bunnymund, the Easter bunny and the guy that almost crushed ya was North, also known as Santa. So, which is better, Easter or Christmas? " Bunny said as he crouched down in front of the distressed girl.

"Umm…" before Diane could answer, North interrupted.

"Well Christmas of course!"

"As If, North!" Bunny said as he quickly turned the the Russian man.

Diane gave a sigh of relief as the attention was turned away from her, watching as the two quickly started bickering over which holiday was better than the other, leaving Tooth to try and stop the two.

' _Maybe I should stop them…'_

Just as she opened her mouth to interject something tugged on her nightgown. Looking down she saw sandman's smiling face and his sand making images rapidly over his head.

"Umm...wha-I'm sorry I don't understa-"

"Sandy says welcome and he wants to know if you're alright. You were having a pretty nasty dream a few minutes ago and he couldn't get you out of it" a voice from the air above spoke "and no worries, I had a hard time understanding him too, but you'll get the hang of it soon enough." Jack Frost spoke, as he floated down.

"Names Jack Frost, nice to meet you and welcome to the Guardians" he said with a cheeky smile, as he saluted her with two fingers.

"Ah..hi...I'm Diane… and um.. are they always like that?" I said as I pointed to the fighting pair, and the one trying to stop them.

Both Sandy and Jack followed her finger seeing their fellow guardians still squabbling. Both feeling the sudden urge to facepalm.

* * *

"Ah...Sandy maybe you should put them to sleep…" he whispered, as he bent down to his shorter friend. The others fighting were not making the group look good, he wanted the girl to want to join and feel welcomed, not uncomfortable around them!

Sandy responded by smiling and punching his clenched fist to his open palm.

"NO! Not..Not like that...please. Just-that was not what I meant. I meant use your dream sand…" Jack exclaimed, heart pounding at having almost sent Sandy to beat up the others, and in front of the newby too!

Sandy seemed disappointed, but then brightened as he formed a golden paint gun, smiling at the thought of using it on the others. The size of the golden ammo would cause him to use at least five or six hits on his friends to put them to sleep, that way he could take his time. Plus they'd be in either too much pain or too sleepy from the hits to continue scaring the young girl. Sandy formed his golden airplane and flew to the air above the three, pointed his gun, and released a volley of shots. Chuckling silently at the pained yelps.

* * *

"Um… should we stop him" Diane said with wide eyes, she was surprised and equally amused by the little man's actions, the edges of her mouth curling up in a smile. She had been in a paintball fight only once before with the few school friends she had and it had been painful, but very fun!

"Ah no. I don't feel like getting in the middle of that, do you?" Jack asked, cringing slightly at the high pitched _pained_ groan that came from Bunnymund as he curled in on himself. He suspected that the very male bunny had been hit in a place that all males feared. ' _Ouch, that has got to hurt!'_

"No I re-really " She said, as she held herself, shivering slightly, now that the surprise and excitement of the day was nearly over she couldn't help but feel the cold seeping into her, especially through her snow soaked sock clad feet. She really wanted a warmer set of clothes.

' _Why couldn't I have died with my coat or snow boots on? I died, the least I could have had are my shoes on!'_

"You're cold? If you want I can ask North to lend you his coat? Its really big, but warm!" Jack said with a slight smile, as he looked at the cold girl, shivering next to him. ' _She's so short, it's kinda cute.'_

 _ ***(she's only shorter by like two inches, but Jack was floating so she looked shorter than she really was)***_

"No! I'm good really! I'm-"

Neither noticed the shadows behind them darkening and growing until two shadow tendrils wrapped around Diane's waist, too fast for either to react, and pulled her onto the Nightmare horse that Pitch was riding.

" **It would appear that it is time to take my charge home. Jack, tell the Guardians, when their done messing around, to set a time and date for the Council meeting. We have much to discuss now that we have a solution to our problems."** Pitch said in a bored drawl, throwing the warm blanket on to the shivering girl, seeming annoyed as he looked to the three drowsy spirits and the quietly cackling fallen star in the background. It truly amazed him that these were the same spirits that had defeated him. ' _How embarrassing'_ he thought as he turned his nightmare toward the direction of his home.

Diane was too preoccupied with the sudden warmth to really care how she had ended up on a horse, or what either of the to males where discussing.

"Wait! She's a Guardian now, she… she ah… still has to sign the book! yeah... so you can't take her yet!" Jack said as he scrambled for a reason to keep Pitch from taking the girl do his dark lair, who looked much too comfortable near the Nightmare man. ' _Is she petting the horse?!'_

" **Is that so. A** _ **Guardian**_ **. And have any of you asked the girl if she even** _ **wants**_ **to be a Guardian? If I remember correctly, and I know I do, you didn't like decisions being made for you either the first time they** _ **told**_ **you, you were going to be a Guardian. I'm sure the girl wouldn't like being** _ **forced**_ **into something that she doesn't even know about. Don't you guys have any morals? Isn't that right girl?"** Pitch said with a slight glare at Jack, the audacity of the Moon to make the girl a Guardian after already having been put in charge of becoming the spirits' jail and of the Guardians for just assuming the girl would jump at the chance of being one of them without even _explaining_ it to her!

"I don't really know what a Guardian is...so uh yeah… can't really tell you guys yes or no to that. Um sorry?" Diane said with a slight smile toward Jack, sounding apologetic.

"But, with that said, why do I have to go with you?" She said with a slight frown to the dark spirit, as she prepared to slide down the side of the horse and onto the snow covered ground. Pity she was finally she was beginning to feel her toes again after being covered in the warm blanket. Plus she really liked the horse she was on, though it did feel odd petting it and feeling compact sand instead of hair.

"That's right! She doesn't have to go with you either! Jack said as he floated to eye level with Pitch, grasping at straws to keep the girl from going with him, no matter what the Moon and Earth said, Pitch still couldn't be trusted.

" **Ah, but I never said I had any morals Jack"** Pitch said with a wicked smile as he willed a shadow tendril to wrap around the girl's waist (eliciting a surprised yelp) to stop her descent and quickly turned away as his mare sped away to his home.

"Wha-I NEVER SAID I'D GO WITH YOU!" Diane screamed as she held on to the man's front coat as they sped away, going extremely fast. ' _not to self: it was not a dress and shadow horses are very fast!'_

"Wait! I am not leaving her alone with you! Wind! Follow Pitch! Sandy take to the pole and make a meeting time or whatever for us and this council, people. I'm going to make sure Pitch doesn't scare away our new member!" Jack said, as he was lifted into the air by his most trusted companion and left after them. Leaving behind a waving sandy and three sleeping Guardians.

* * *

 _ ***In a deep dark cave by Burgesses***_

They had only just arrived minutes before and the man had began herding her away from the hole, the odd opening to his home, muttering about inconsiderate spirits and where he was going to put her. The mare had trotted away as soon as they had arrived. ' _Too bad, she was a really cute horse. I wonder if the guy would let me ride her more?'_

"So you're just going to kidnap me?" Diane said, looking at the back of the man, noticing how he was much taller than her, ' _I feel so short… should I be running away?'_ She mused, after all she didn't really know the man… ' _then again I don't want to go back outside… and I am finally warm… kinda.'_ She thought, looking down at her somewhat cold and soggy socks and slightly damp clothes. ' _Earth did say for him to take care of me… Eh this is better than going back out side.'_ She thought with a shrug.

"Hello? Are you just going to ignore me?" Diane said, pulling the blanket closer, starting to get annoyed with the stoic man. She couldn't help but look around the his home in awe while following the man's quick pace, trying not to be left behind in the mazes of hallways they were passing. ' _This place is so big! I just know I'm going to get lost here.'_ She thought in annoyance and dismay, she never did have a good sense of direction or time, and down here where there were only shadows and darkness she was sure to find herself lost. ' _My sense of time is going to be so screwed…'_

Suddenly, the man stopped causing Diane to bump right into him, falling on her rump.

"Ouch! A little warning would be nice!" She hissed out, quickly getting back up and dusting herself off. This place needed a lot of dusting, it was so musty and damp, ' _when was the last time he cleaned or aired out this place!?'_

" **This will be your room."** Pitch said as he pointed to an Old Victorian styled bedroom.

" **As my charge I will instruct my creatures to not harm you, but... They are creatures of fear. They may listen to me but that doesn't mean they'll always follow my orders. Understood, girl?"** He said, looking down at his new charge. ' _Earth would have my head if the girl hurts herself while she's here. Not to mention the Guardians would murder me after Earth finishes.'_

"Sure, don't bother the creepy creatures, and I won't get hurt. Also my name's Diane, not girl." She said crossing her arms looking annoyed, really it's not like she was going to go looking for trouble. Though she can't say she didn't appreciate the warning.

" **Hn, and I am Pitch Black, Nightmare King and ruler of Fear. And for now your… Guardian, I suppose. Is…ah… Is there anything else you require, before I retire for what is left of the night?"** Pitch said starting of strong, but ending with hesitation. Really how could the Earth think he was fit for caring for a child?! ' _I should have left her with the Guardians… but then again, Jack has no real home, Toothiana would forget about her with the commotion of new teeth, North would forget about her too with Christmas so near...Maybe the rodent, no it was far too easy to enter his home last Easter… damn why are they so incompetent!'_

"Do you by any chance have a change of clothes I could use? These are kinda wet and cold from waking up on the snow earlier." Diane said, pulling at her slightly damp nightgown, and wiggling her wet sock clad toes. ' _I wonder if I can get sick even though I'm dead?'_ She thought as she snuggled back into her blanket, enjoying the warmth it brought.

" **I… will be right back, wait in the room and do not come out. I still haven't told the creatures to stay away from you."**

" **Onyx!"** He called out to his favorite and loyal nightmare, she was the only one who had not turned away from him when he had lost the year before against the Guardians.

Soon she appeared from the shadows. She was much larger than the other nightmares and her pelt was an inky black, unlike the rest that were made with the sandman's sand, she was made purely from his shadows and magic, and was perfectly attuned to her master's magic.

" **Stay with her and keep her safe, I don't want her dying from fright if the others get to her"** Pitch said as he melded into the shadows and appeared in a vast room filled with old toys, random objects, and piles of clothes.

Over the centuries of hiding under beds, in closets, or just plain appearing in rooms of children by using his shadows; random items always managed to fall through his shadows and to his home. Why he had not thrown any of them away, he didn't know. " **At least this mess is useful for something"** he muttered looking through the clothes pile and finding blankets, a pair of socks, slippers, and two relatively new warmer nightgowns for the girl to use. " **This will have to do for now."** Just as he was about to turn away, he noticed a thin, gleaming chain, on the floor. Picking it up, he was surprised that his nightmares hadn't found the chain first and hidden it away in some of the random nooks and crannies they liked to hide away their shiney junk that they found on the streets, in his home, or from children's rooms.

" **This… can be useful."** He muttered, rubbing the chain with his fingers and finding it was made of pure silver. Objects made from pure metals could always be embedded with magic, if he did it and gave it to the girl, he'd always be able to find her if she was in danger.

' _This is perfect!'_ Just as he was about to embed it with his magic, he felt a disturbance in his magic. Someone had entered his home that was not welcomed.

" _ **Guardians"**_ He growled, melding into the shadows, and re-appearing near the entrance of his home. Seeing frozen bits and pieces of his nightmares littering the ground, he knew that Frost had been the one to enter his home. ' _What a nuisance, he's probably here to visit the girl… she's turning out to be more trouble than she's worth… then again my life depends on her well being or else Earth would… yeah I'd better go check on the girl to make sure she's safe.'_ he thought, as returned to his shadows.

When he re-emerged, he was greeted by an empty room.

' _Aaand she's not her, great'_ Pitch thought annoyed, though feeling a flash of worry as he felt his connection to Onyx get severed and tasted the girl's fear in the air. " **Oh thats is not good**

* * *

"You know for something a 'nightmare' , you're pretty tame." Diane said, smiling from her seat on the bed, looking at the horse sitting in front of her. She was braiding the mare's mane, who looked bored but content to let the girl do as she pleased. Diane had already looked around the bare room and through the sparse furniture so now she was trying to pass them time. The room only contained one large king sized bed with black bed sheets, black nightstand, with empty drawers and a large matching black dresser, also empty. "He really likes the color black, doesn't he? Personally I prefer a dark blue or purple color. Black is just so... dreary" she mumbled to the mare, focused completely on the braid. Unlike the previous mare, this one seemed to be made out of compacted shadows, it was an odd feeling as she ran her fingers through the mare's mane.

"There! All done!" She said as she finished braiding the mare's mane. She was about to start on her tail when she heard various crashes and a noises near her room. Letting curiosity get the best of her she left her room and tip-toed down the hallway that she had come from, Onyx close behind. In Onyx's defense, she had only been instructed to protect the girl, so there was no reason to keep the girl in the room.

As Diane peaked round a corner she was surprised to see the boy from earlier fighting with Pitch's… ponies? These mares were a lot smaller than Onyx, compared to her they looked like little ponies.

Coming out from hiding behind the corner she was about to call out to - ' _what was his name? Oh yeah, Jack'-_ when he turned and saw her, eyes growing wide.

"DIANE BEHIND YOU!" Jack said quickly pointing his staff slightly above her. Just as he was about to fire an ice bolt to the abnormally large nightmare behind the girl, he was knocked to his side, staff flying away from his grip and shooting a stray ice bolt right at the girl.

' _Behind me? There's only Onyx-oh shit!'_ She thought as she saw the ice blast heading straight for her, but before she could react, Onyx pushed her to the ground and took the hit for her.

On the ground Diane turned her head, eyes growing wide, stunned as she saw the frozen figure of Onyx; poised above her with her head down, bracing herself against the ice blast that froze her, the ice blast that nearly hit Diane.

"Onyx?" Diane said as she crawled out from under her and touched the frozen mare's snout. Onyx didn't respond. ' _Ice cold, this power, this feeling… just like … Boreas!'_

Soon the room was filled with Diane's lingering fear for her life and the memory of the man that had freed the evil ones, unknowingly calling forth the rest of Pitch's nightmares and violent shadow creatures that were usually hidden deep within Pitch's cave realm to her. Behind her the black sand nightmare's stilled and turned to her, three of the four mares that had been attacking Jack left him and headed toward the girl, attracted to her fear.

"Wai-hey no! Leave her alone!" Jack shouted struggling to get out from under the one nightmare still pinning him down.

Just as the three nightmares reached the girl, they stopped and quickly backed away, surprised to feel the fear that the girl had felt turn to pure anger.

The shadows and mares were used to dealing with sad scared children, angry and pissed of children were not something they wanted to deal with

' _He just stood by while they almost, while she…'_ Diane thought, looking down. "Onyx wasn't doing anything to me and you **hurt** her. _**Fix her, and fix her NOW.**_ " Diane said turning around with an angry glare, completely consumed by the anger that she felt, not towards Jack, but rather the man that had smiled and stood back while she had been nearly murdered. She never noticed how the shadows that had been reaching toward her seemed to shy away as she walked towards Jack, scaring away the mare that had been holding him down. ' _If Jack is anything like that man, then he is not to be trusted!'_

"Ah! S-sure just let me-let me get my staff!" Jack squeaked out, as the girl grabbed him from the front of his hoodie and pulled him down to her eye level. He was here to make sure Pitch didn't make her dislike the Guardians, but it looked like he was doing it all on his own. ' _This is not what I meant to do!'_

However before either could move they both heard amused chuckles and clapping coming from near Onyx. There stood Pitch watching them with amused eyes and a slight smirk on his face.

" **If I knew all it took to beat you was to put an angry girl against you, I would have done so a long time ago, Frost."** Pitch mocked Jack.

" **And relax Diane, Onyx is fine. It's going to have to take a lot more than some frost to destroy her."** he said in a much nicer voice to Diane, as he flicked a finger against the frozen body of the mare, causing a spiderweb of cracks to form on the ice, completely breaking off and revealing a very much not frozen Onyx beneath the ice.

"I see, so… um, clothes?" She said, quickly changing the subject. Letting go of Jack's hoodie, she walked towards her Guardian, wanting nothing more to do with the boy whose power reminded her of her newest fears.

" **Yes, here. For now these will have to do."** Pitch said with a stoic voice, " **Now** _ **please**_ **stay in your room, while I show Jack here the way** **out** " he said as he ushered Diane towards her room, Onyx following close behind.

Once in her room, Diane quickly changed and flopped on her bed, exhausted. ' _I'm not sure if I would prefer being dead or not… powers, fairy tales, monsters… this isn't my world.'_ she thought, crawling under her blankets and curling in on herself ,closing her eyes.

Outside Pitch and Jack could be heard arguing.

' _They are so loud… though now that I really focus on it, Jack's center it's almost… fun? Frosty fun that's what it is. How did I ever mistake it for that man's… and Pitch's he's...'_ Diane didn't get to finish her thought as she fell asleep tired from the night's events.

* * *

"I'm not leaving without her. She has to be somewhere safe." Jack said standing his ground, grasping at straws for a reason to stay. "And incase you didn't see, you're shadows nearly attacked her!"

" **You have done enough! You almost froze her! Onyx can't be hurt by your frost, because I made her that way, the girl can! And my shadows were attracted to the fear that YOU CAUSED! All that has happened is on you,** _ **Frost**_ **."** Pitch hissed, the shadows around him darkening. Jack grimaced, remembering her surprised and fearful face.

" **Leave and tell your Guardians what I am about to tell you. The girl,** _ **Diane**_ **, is under my protection, and interference will not be tolerated."**

"She's also a Guardian, Pitch. She belongs with us too, whether you like it or not." Jack said, as he conceded and left. Thinking a way to make it up to Diane for almost hurting her.

* * *

With the nuisance gone and his charge asleep Pitch traveled through the shadows to a place he had hoped he would never have visit again.

The second he entered he noticed the ground split apart, breaking the sigl written on the floor in half. Expanding his power through the shadows of the cave system, he found that the three prisoners were nowhere to be found. As he walked closer to the crevice, he stepped in a puddle of water.

' _Water? There shouldn't be any water here in this cave…where did it come from?...'_ he thought with a frown as he stepped away from the water, noticing that there were puddles of water all around the seal.

" **It would seem they had some help, but why? Why would anyone free these monsters?"** he mumbled out loud, eyes narrowing on a bloodied light blue piece of cloth on the floor. Picking it up he realized with a feeling of unease, that the cloth was the same shade of blue from her nightgown.

" _What did Earth do to the girl while she was unconscious?!'_

With a frown marring his face he returned to his home and checked on the girl, the tight-knot in his chest easing as he saw her sleeping peacefully.

' _She looks so much like Seraphine, like how she would have looked when she was about the girl's age… and I missed it while guarding the fearlings. And for what!? To become a nightmare King! To be feared, forgotten, and scorned by my own daughter!'_ Pitch growled as he held his head, memories of his time as Kozmotis' seemed to be resurfacing.

Calling forth Onyx once again, he left the mare to watch over the girl as he too left to find some sleep. All the while trying to forget the memories of a young girl with flowing black hair and bright green eyes.

* * *

Sorry for the long wait but this chapter did not want to be written.

Many thanks to my editor/spell check people : Ducky, Frankie, and Kimy! Who deal with me raging them to read my story and tell me if they like it or not. I could not have finished this chapter without their help.

Also I have realized that I have not been putting a disclaimer, so I do not own the ROTG characters, all I own are my own characters and this plot.

So what do you guys think? Liking the story so far? Review, Favorite, and Follow if you do!

P.S. **Reviews make update faster!**


	6. Chapter 6

**Ch.6 - Lazy Day and Nightmares**

* * *

' _You won't get away from us this time, dear. With all the trouble you will cause us, we can't afford to let you live. Aww~ cry and scream all you want, your friends can't hear you. Their too busy being ripped apart by_ _ **my friends.**_ _But don't worry, I'll enjoy your flesh!' Ostara said as she gazed down to me. Her eyes glinted with malice as she reached down, pulling my hair back and exposing my neck._

 _Tears streamed down my face as I screamed for help through the cloth in my mouth. Ostara opened her mouth wide exposing her sharp teeth, eyes focused on my throat._

"NOO!" I screamed while thrashing against the blanket covering me, looking wildly around the strange room for the threat. With my heart still beating in my ear, I realized three things: I had been having a nightmare, I had absolutely no idea what time it was, and there was no way I'd be able to go back to sleep. Closing my eyes, I took in a deep breath, calming the beating of my heart, ' _It was just a bad dream'_

" **I see you have finally awoken from your nightmare,"** a gravel voice said, from the darkest corner of the room, once the beating of my heart had finally calmed.

Yelping in surprise, heart racing once more, I did the first thing I could think of and threw the closest pillow near me towards the voice.

 _thump_

The pillow had made contact with the target.

" **Really?"** Pitch said as he felt his eye twitch. A glare set on his face.

"You almost gave me a heart attack! Why would you do that!?" I said with an angry glare and scowl placed firmly on my face.

" **I figured, after everything that happened yesterday, you would prefer sleeping,"** Pitch growled. In all honesty, he had wanted the child to get some sleep; Newly created spirits always were tired from the revival process. Immortals never need sustenance like humans do, however even _they_ got tired after enough energy was used.

"Gee, thanks. I feel so rested after just having a nightmare." She said with a deadpan look.

And he might have been feeding... (even though he can't seem to cause fear in her, he could still feed.)

"So what did you want so badly from me that you would wait for me, _in the dark,_ until I awoke?" Diane said sarcastically, with the sassiest eye-roll she could muster.

" **I wanted to discuss your wounds,"** Pitch said growing increasingly irritated with the girl

' _Remember, this is a child._ _Earth's_ _child. Must N_ _ **ot Harm.**_ '

The mention of her wounds wiped away any emotion on her face.

' _Ah...I forgot about those… '_

"What about them? They're practically healed, so there's no need to worry." Diane said as she curled into herself with one arm reaching up to clutch at her shoulder and unable to meet his eyes.

" **How did you get them and why did I find a bloody piece of** _ **your**_ **nightgown, in the cave where the spirits escaped from?"** Pitch said.

"Earth had been showing me visions of the spirit's past, them murdering children, and being sealed away by you, sandman, and a few other spirits. She, ah He?...It also showed me them escaping, only it wasn't just a vision, it was like I was physically there. Katar made the cuts when I saw him and the others escape. He sicked Ostara on me and she almost-" She closed her eyes at the memory, trying to forget the horrific experience it had been. Her memory and nightmare still fresh in her mind. Her eyes were teary as she held a pillow to her chest, squeezing the life out of it.

" **Tsk, I can't believe Earth almost risked you getting killed! Now they know how you look and Katar got a hold of your blood!"** Pitch growled.

"Does.. it matter?" She said with hesitation, unsure if she wanted an answer

" **He's a master of black magic and curses, of course it matters! With just a drop of your blood, he-"** Pitch stopped, sensing fear welling up from the girl.

" **It ah, doesn't matter what he can do, child. I have an item that I have fashioned to help me protect you. His black magic shouldn't be able to find you, so long as you wear it."** Pitch said as he pulled out the newly cleaned silver necklace from inside his left sleeve. He had forgon sleeping the night before, and instead focused on fusing his own shadow magic into the necklace. As long as the girl wore the necklace, not a single type of magic would be able to sense her but his own.

" **Don't take it off, I can't protect you if you do."** Pitch said as he threw the silver necklace to her.

Diane put the chain around her neck without a second thought. The light weight of it comforted her. As she looked closely at it, the metal seemed to shine with a pulsing black energy.

" **Now that that's done, I'm going to rest. It's about 9 in the morning; Find something to entertain yourself for a few hours, so I can gain my strength back. Feel free to explore. The shadows and creatures are informed that if they hurt you, they die."** Pitch said with a yawn, as he phased out of the room.

"Thanks that's, comforting? …I think?" Diane said as she got off the bed, no longer feeling tired.

' _At least I know what time it is now…'_

* * *

' _I am so bored… and hungry...'_ Diane thought as she walked around the dark hallways that seemed practically endless to her. ' _for all I know they probably are.'_

"Ahh~ What to do? Maybe I should try to go back to sleep? Or maybe find a kitchen..." She mumbled out loud, bored out of her mind ' _...Where is my room?'_ This thought made her pause as she realised that she had been walking around aimlessly for quite a while ' _Aaand I'm lost. Great.'_

"Whatever I'll just keep going left,"' _Isn't that how you get out of mazes?… or was it to the right?'_ She continued to wander, passing rooms filled with cages, a giant broken earth model, and stairs that were useless against gravity.

' _How many rooms does this guy even have!_

 _ ***3 hours of aimless wandering***_

' _That's it! I'm waking him up!'_

"PIITTCH! I'M LOST! PIIIIIIIIIIIIIIITTTTCHHHH!"

* * *

 ***** _In the deepest part of Pitch's home*_

" **What does she want now?"** Pitch mumbled as he reluctantly began to climb out of bed, feeling old and haggard as sleep clouded his mind. However, he suddenly felt a strong surge of anger coming from the connection he had to Diane's necklace. Stumbling at the sudden sensation he nearly ran into a wall before shifting through the shadows to his charge.

* * *

Flying to the entrance of Pitch's home, Jack hesitated. He was weighed down by the gifts the rest of the Guardians had thrust upon him once they realized that he was intending on visiting Diane. He chuckled, remembering how, when the Guardians had woken up and realized Pitch had taken the girl. They had headed straight for the sleigh to save Diane after being 'kidnapped' by Pitch. Though, he really doubted the girl would want to leave her Guardian after the debacle he had caused yesterday.

' _But at least I know how to make it right!'_ He thought, determined to make the new girl forgive him, as he plunged down into the darkness of the nightmare king's home. Ready to apologize to a possible, friend. In reality, Jack was confusing his feelings for friendship, as he already thought of the new girl as something more. She was the first spirit who could understand what it meant to sacrifice themselves for a loved one at such a young age, barley on the cusp of adulthood.

* * *

Walking through another dim hallway, Diane gave up and sat down on the floor, not caring if she was dirtying her new nightgown.

' _I feel pain, cold, and hunger... huh, who knew being dead could be so lame.'_

Just as she resigned herself to wait for Pitch to find her, or starve to death, ' _un-death?_ ', she heard a strange whistling sound caused by the wind from one of the hallways near her.

'An exit?' Curiosity getting the best of her once again, she walked to the hallway, momentarily forgetting her she rounded the corner, the hallway opened up to a round room where multiple hallways connected. Unable to tell exactly where the sound was coming from, she walked toward the farthest opening. The noise became sharper as she neared a hallway to her left. Turning a moment too late, a blurred white object barreled into her, knocking the wind out of she layed on the floor dazed, trying to recover from the sudden impact, she heard a pained groan coming from her right. Turning her head, dazed stormy grey eyes met a pair of blue pained ones. The pain in the blue eyes quickly turned to fear and dread as he realized who exactly he had flown into. ' _I just can't get a break, can I?'_

Groaning, Diane sat up. Her head was killing her.

"Are you okay? I'm _really_ sorry! I didn't see you… " Jack said as he hurriedly stood and began to help her up.

' _Geeze his hands are a lot colder than I thought…'_

"Is there a reason you're here or did you just come to attack me, _again_?" She said as the pain she felt only increased her anger toward the spirit. She wasn't about to forget how he had almost frozen her.

"Yes! I mean no!" Jack said as he hurriedly tried to explain himself.

"I didn't want to hurt you! I actually came to apologize for yesterday… but I guess I made a mess of things...again." Jack said with downcast eyes, hair covering them now.

Realizing that she had been a tad too harsh, she opened her mouth to apologize, but was interrupted.

" **Twice in a row, Frost. It seems you're more of a danger to Diane than the evil ones are.** _ **Now**_ _ **Leave**_ **."** Pitch said, exiting from a darkened hallway behind them. A frown grew on his face as he looked and the slight bruise on his charge's cheek and the unwelcome visitor.

Cringing at the comment, Jack went to retrieve the fallen brown bag that North had given him to carry the gifts.

"I come bearing gifts?" Jack said with a slight grin toward Diane, completely ignoring the boogie-man.

"Gifts?" She said with a raised eyebrow and a curious look in her eyes, "From who?" she said as she stepped closer.

"The Guardians! They wanted to welcome their youngest member!" Jack said, recovering completely from his earlier sadness. "And from me, as an 'I'm sorry' for yesterday…"He said with a sheepish grin as he stepped closer to her, his grin turning into a smirk, causing her to blush at his awkward closeness.

" **My my, I thought the Guardians would have been above** _ **buying**_ **people with gifts."** Pitch said with a smirk, as stepped in front of Diane, looming over Jack with a menacing aura.

"We're not trying to buy her!" Jack said, as he side stepped him and faced Diane.

"It's customary for the others to celebrate, so they have a tendency to go overboard. For me they threw a HUGE party, and well, since you're here they figured they could at least send you gifts in the meantime." Jack said with a soft smile, which quickly turned to a smirk as he said, " _then_ they'll throw you a huge party."

"Ah, I'm not a fan of big parties…" Diane said with a forced smile.

"Neither am I.. look forward to being stuffed in a bag, because I'm pretty sure North will use the same way he kidnapped me on you" Jack said happily, not really registering what he had just said.

"I've been kidnapped enough now, thank you very much." she deadpanned, as she glanced at Pitch accusingly, who retaliated by rolling his eyes.

" **As fun as this conversation is, I'de like to get back to** _ **resting.**_ **Jack, leave. Diane, how about I show you my library, where I'm sure you'll find some entertainment while I SLEEP."** Pitch said, stressing the last word he said.

Just as Pitch grabbed Diane by the arm, a loud growling sound was heard. Jack and Pitch's eyes turned to Diane, as she blushed profusely.

"I'm hungry?" She said timidly.

"But, you're a spirit…how are you hungry?" Jack said as he shot Pitch a confused look. Pitch looked equally confused.

" **At most, a spirit should feel fatigue.. but hunger? Did Earth mention anything about this to you?"**

"No…this isn't normal?" Diane questioned as she peered up to Pitch, hands around her growling stomach.

" **Spirits created by Earth are very rare, little is known about them. Most created have long ago disappeared. As the Moon began to make his own, Earth saw no reason to continue creating and instead entrusted the Moon to that job. However, every few millenniums or so a problem would arise that it would find a cause to create a spirit."** At this Pitch pointedly glanced at Diane." **We'll search in my library for answers. Earth spirits have always been a mysterious topic. Jack, you might as well come and make yourself useful."** Pitch said as he turned and walked to a dark tunnel, Diane following right behind him.

"Bu- Wait! What about the presents!?" Jack said, as he flew after them.

* * *

*A few hours later, in a _somewhat_ lit library *

(Within Pitch's library there are hundreds of bookshelves with books dating from before the beginning of human time, in millions of languages, extinct and existing. This is Pitch's preferred place to spend the years away. The library is furnished with a large fireplace, a small table, a couch, and a love seat.)

"We've been searching for hours!" Jack said, body over the back of the black couch and groaning with boredom.

"It has only been three. Stop complaining." Pitch said as he skimmed through a book. With a snap, he shut the journal, resulting in a puff of dust coming out. As he coughed, he returned the book to its rightful place.

"I agree with Jack. No more, _please_. Half of these aren't even legible!" Diane said, as she threw herself onto the loveseat, grabbing another granola bar to munch on. ' _you'd think Pitch could have gotten me something else to eat.'_

" **You children, have no patience."** Pitch said without looking away from the shelves of books, face set with determination.

"Some of us are more interested in doing other things than looking through dusty old books" Jack muttered with a very bored expression, which quickly lit up as he remembered the forgotten bag of gifts sitting by the entrance of the library.

"The gifts!"Jack said, quickly flying to the entrance,retrieving the sack and dumping them on top of Diane.

"Open them!" Jack said, not noticing the annoyed look she shot at him at suddenly having something heavy fall on her.

"Ah, Alright." She said with a small smile, noticing how Jack's excited expression resembled the same looks the children at the orphanage would get when they opened their gifts.

"Let's see…" She said as she brought out the first present, decorated in Easter wrapping. ' _Gee I wonder who this belongs to'_ she thought with a smirk. As she ripped off the wrapping, a note fell on her lap.

' _To light up your room, hope you enjoy. Just water them two or three times, and from there, they'll do the rest. No need for sunlight._

 _-Orchids_

 _-Columbines_

 _-Lilium candidum_

 _From - Bunnymund_

 _PS. My present is better than North's!'_

Looking at her gift, inside the box where three packets of seeds, each labeled. ' _How sweet'_ She thought with a smile, as she put the card inside the box and set it aside. ' _I am definitely going to plant them soon!'_

Reaching in the bag again, out came a small little box, wrapped in very bright christmas colors. ' _He really loves Christmas…'_ Unwrapping her present, in the box lay a black velvet sack, barely bigger than her fist. Looking inside, she could see the bag held colorful marbles, containing what looked like snow. ' _Marbles?'_ Under the bag was a crisp white card.

' _For quick getaways, if you are ever in danger, just say where you wish to go, and throw. They will take you there. DO NOT LOSE._

 _PS. Keep away from Pitch and Jack.'_

' _I wonder what they did..'_ Diane thought, as she glanced at a blushing Jack, who had been reading over her shoulder.

"In my defense, it was never proven that I caused all of North's coats to turn pink…"Jack said with a sheepish smile, leaning against his staff.

"And Pitch?" She said with a raised eyebrow as Jack sat on the table in front of her.

"Well, lets see. He tried to destroy us last year, then kept on trying to sabotage us on multiple events, oh! And even resorted to playing pranks on us!" Jack said as he counted with his fingers.

"Those are only some of the more, ah, drastic things he's done." Jack said with a grin.

"Only _some_?" Diane said with a bemused smile as she turned to her next gift.

Wrapped in pink, with a multi-colored bow, the sender was obvious from the start. Within the medium sized box, there where two gifts. One gift was a complete packet of dental hygiene galore: different flavored mouthwashes, at least four toothbrush, and minty flavored floss.

' _...I don't really know what I expected from the tooth fairy'_ she thought with an amused smile, putting away the packet for later use. ' _Do I even have a sink to use these?'_

Opening her second gift, inside were two things she knew she would definitely enjoy. "A warm fleece coat and matching boots! Yes! Shoes!~ Now I won't be cold next time I go out!" She said excitedly, looking at Jack with a wide smile, which quickly dazed him.

' _She looks so cute when she's actually smiling…'_ Jack thought, not noticing until too late that he had murmured "so cute" quietly.

"I'm sorry, what? I didn't catch that." Diane said,with a smile, having been too caught up hugging the soft coat and putting on the furry boots.

"Nothing! Nevermind, ah! Here's mine and sandy's gift! Open them!" Jack Frost said, panicking as he pulled out a blue gift with a golden bow out of the now empty bag and thrust it to her.

"Ok, ok calm down." Diane said smiling, as she unwrapped the gift. Inside was a clear snowflake pendant, with golden bits of sand within it, giving off a golden shine.

"Is this ice? Won't it melt?" Diane said as she delicately touched the snowflake.

"Nope! I combined my magic with Sandy's, it's practically indestructible! And it glows in the dark, too" He said, as he grabbed the snowflake from her hand, cupping it with his hands, and showing her.

"Sandy says it should ward off bad dreams, but he's not sure how well it will work on you. Sorry." Jack said, handing it back to her, remembering how Sandy had tried calming the girl with his sand and it not working.

"No, thats fine its very pretty. I can wear it on the chain, Pitch gave me. Though how would I put it on... " Diane said as she looked for a hole on the pendant.

"Here allow me." Jack said as he walked to her taking the pendant from her hand and pulling the chain up, not bothering to take it off her neck.

This action caused Diane to expose her neck while she blushed at the unusual closeness.

"Hey! That's not nece-!" Diane said, cutting off when Jack brought his head to the the chain, and breathed on it, permanently freezing the pendant onto the chain. The sudden cold making a shiver go down her back.

"There that was easy! I didn't even need to use my staff."Jack said, jumping back into the air with a grin, looking at the flustered girl.

Diane was at a complete loss for words as she stared blushingly at the boy in the air, with her eyes wide and mouth slightly agape, hand clutching at the pendant.

" **If you're quite done bothering my charge, we have more important things to discuss."** Pitch said, glaring at Jack, carrying what looked like a really old book that had seen better days.

As he neared his still shocked charge, he patted her on the head and placed himself between her and Jack.

" **This book tells a tale of the first spirit that Earth had created after the task of spirit making was given to the Moon. The author is unknown but maybe this will shed some light on your situation, Diane. This happened a while before the evil three became a problem."** Pitch began, summoning a chair for himself next to Diane while Jack sat alone on the couch. Both attentive at his words, as he began to read out loud.

" **Long ago, when the world was still at chaos, the balance of peace had been disrupted and many evil deeds went unpunished. Earth, trying to find a solution to the shift, gifted the young man with a strong sense of justice, a second chance. This young man, barely an adult, had died trying to get justice for his murdered family. They had been killed by some spirits that had seen fit to have some fun with the humans, and unfortunately his family had been some of the humans killed. Earth had resurrected her first spirit in years and gifted him with immense power. Brought back to life, the man did just what Earth had intended for him to do: To bring justice to those that could not defend themselves, and punish those in the wrong. However, Earth had made a dire mistake... In its attempt to keep the man from straying to the wrong path, it had altered the man's thinking to a black and white view of a world full of chaotic greys and caused him to go insane. In his mind, practically every living soul had done a wrong; Only the young and pure had been safe from him. As humanity continued and progressed, so did his insanity. He could not bear the corruption in the humans and began to think all would eventually become corrupted, but what little he had left of his human mind prevented him from taking another's life. Before he could actually make an attempt at an innocent's life, however, he met the spirits that had murdered his family. Enraged, with what little sanity he had left, he decided to murder the spirits, breaking the one rule he had to follow: to never punish those that had wronged him. The destruction he had caused had been incredible and with his mind lost to his anger, he became a danger to spirits and humans alike. So Earth, ashamed at its mistake, came to a decision and sealed him away, forever, to be forgotten."** Pitch sat back as he finished, frowning as the 'forgotten' part hit a little too close to his own situation. ' _Sealed away to be forgotten, the poor soul'_

"Earth just sealed him away! Why didn't Earth try to fix him?!" Diane asked, feeling sympathy and anger for the spirit.

"As harsh as it sounds, I get why Earth had to seal him away." Jack said, looking uncharacteristically serious, eyes focused on the staff on his lap. "Once a spirit is born, there is no changing him or his core. The spirit will stay as it was created."

"But that doesn't give Earth the right to seal him away to be left forgotten! It's not his fault he wanted justice for his family. He had every right!" Diane said, standing up, defending the unknown spirit. ' _It wasn't his fault!'_

"So, what? He should have just been left alone and as a possible danger to others?! Earth did what it could to fix its mistake, there was no other option." Jack said, as he began to hover in the air, using his height to his advantage.

"But that's not fair! He-" Diane argued, getting cut off by Pitch.

" **Enough!"** Pitch yelled, slamming his hands on the armrest as he stood up.

" **Decisions made in the past do not concern us. Our main concern is to try to find out about your hunger problem, Diane."** Pitch said, staring pointedly at his charge.

" **Not** **, to argue about something else."** He said as he turned his reprimanding stare towards the frost spirit.

" **Seeing as we have learned nothing from this useless history lesson, Jack get out, and leave me to my rest. Onyx show Frost the way out, but first take Diane to her room."** Pitch said, as he mentally summoned Onyx. He felt tired and angry at the reminder that he was like the spirit, a thing most wanted to forget. He did not want to deal with a pair of squabbling children.

"Wait, can I at least take Diane around Burgesses? She's gonna get stir crazy in here if she doesn't go out. What do you say, Diane? Let me show you around?" Jack said, wiggling his eyebrows.

Diane really wanted to get out, but there was no way she was going on a date with Jack.

"This is not a date, got it. " She said menacingly, with a glare that could rival Pitch's, as she gathered her presents.

"Onyx, can you take me to my room so I can put these away?" She said in a much nicer voice to the nightmare and went to put them in her room.

As soon as Diane was out of sight, Jack pumped his hand and whooped out a 'Yes!'

Not noticing a menacing aura growing behind him.

" **Remember** _ **Frost**_ **: The future of the world depends on that girl's safety. If you so much as let her get harmed or** _ **you**_ **harm her, I will make sure you die a slow and PAINFUL DEATH, before Earth kills me for letting** **HER CHILD** **get hurt!** _ **Got it**_ **?"** Pitch said as he loomed over Jack.

Jack could only nod in fear as Pitch moved back to a respectable distance. Barely a second passed, before Diane entered the room again.

" **Onyx will be in your shadow, to keep you safe while you are out, Diane. Please do try to stay out of the trouble that Jack may cause. And don't catch his stupidity,** _ **please**_ **."** Pitch said with a slight smile to the girl, enjoying her dislike for the frost spirit.

' _She may be different from the Guardians, yet. It's about time a sensible spirit was born.'_

"Don't worry Pitch, I'll be fine. I have Onyx with me after all." Diane said, purposely not mentioning Jack, as she and Onyx turned away, leaving Jack to follow after them.

"Good girl" Pitch said quietly, with a slight smile on his face, as he watched them walk out.

* * *

 ** _*In an unknown location*_**

"Can you see her?" Ostara said as she looked into the black sludge that Katar had made. Drops of blood from her escaped prey mixed in.

" **No, sssomething iss blocking my magic. Shadow magic!"** Katar growled, as he kept looking into the bowl with black sludge.

"So the old shadow is protecting her? How adorable." Ostara purred. "But he won't keep me from her forever. You should have tasted her blood, it was so pure! **I could just eat her up**!" She moaned, while licking her lips

"Earth was with her, which means she's probably valuable. Or at least her power is. We should kill her." Boreas said, with a yawn, lounging on a couch. The room they were in was bare, except for three chairs, a couch, and a table that Katar was currently using.

" **If she's with Pitch, I doubt it will be easy getting to her."** Krampus said as he walked in, dragging his heavy signature bloody brown bag behind him. Muffled cries and sounds came from the bag, as the children within struggled to get out.

"Oh! You brought dinner! Goody~ I get first dibs!" Ostora said as she skipped to Krampus, kissing his cheek.

Just as Ostora was about to open the back, Katar began to cackle madly.

"BE QUIET KATAR, I'M TRYING TO ENJOY MY MEAL!" She screamed, glaring at him.

" **Ha, Ha, sssorry, but you should come sssee thisss. All of you come sssee! It would ssseem even dear Earth isss willing to break a few of itsss own rulesss for itsss convenience!"** Katar said, motioning to the black sludge as it began to form color and shapes, sound soon following.

Soon the black sludge formed the scene of a hospital room. Within the hospital room, there lay a young 17 to 18 year old girl on life support, clearly in a coma. She had a breathing mask on her as the monitor blipped in rhythm. Next to her bed was a little five year old girl with tear streaks on her face as she gazed at the unconscious teen on the bed.

"Diane, please wake up soon, we miss you... _I_ miss you." She said in a wobbly voice as fresh tears began to fall.

Unaware that four wicked grins began to form as she spoke the teen's name.

" **Sssee! Wassn't thiss worth waiting to eat?** Katar said as he looked away from the bowl to smirk at Ostara.

"Very! Now I know my prey's location!" Ostara said with hungry eyes.

"NO! You may not eat her!... at least, not yet. We can use this." Boreas said with a calculating smile.

"If she's so important to make Earth break her own rules, we will just have to steal her away. If she proves to be a problem, well, I'll give her to you." He said with a malicious grin.

"Yay!~" Ostara giggled as she licked her lips in anticipation.

"Now that that's done, let's eat! Sure you don't want any Boreas?" Ostara said in a cutesy voice as she grabbed the bag.

"No my dear, eat away." Boreas said with a smile as he turned away and began to smirk coldly at the scene in the black sludge.

"You are making this too easy Earth... far too easy." He said, as he sat down to watch his companions tear the young children limb from limb.


	7. Chapter 7

"So where are we going first?" Diane asked as she looked around the snow covered forest, bundled up in Tooth's gift, North's in her pocket. The forest was quiet and calm, with birds chirping. ' _It looks alot like the forest near the orphanage…'_

"My lake. It's a great place to go ice skating, plus I told Jaime a while back that today,we could have a snowball fight there. After that we can go grab a bite to eat, if you want?" Jack said smiling, as he watched Diane's curious gaze flit around the forest, her earlier anger forgotten.

"Uh, sure, but who's Jaime?" Diane said, at attention as her interest sparked up.

You could literally see Jack's face light up at the prospect of talking about his first believer. A soft smile on his face, he began.

"He's my first believer, after years of having hundreds of people walk through me, and no one believing no matter what I did, he believed. He's the reason we were able to defeat Pitch last year when he tried to make the world 'Pitch Black'. Jaime's a really cool kid, and loves snowball fights. Though a little lazy when it comes to not going to school. Course I can't complain, I love making snow days." Jack said, ending with a smirk.

"He sounds like a cute kid… WAIT! You're the reason there where so many snow days this past year?!" Diane said, looking at Jack in surprise, not really understanding the first part of his speech. It was still odd thinking someone who looked basically her age could control the weather and was practically 300 years her senior.

"Well yeah, I am 'Jack Frost'" Jack said with air quotes as he said his name.

"I can basically freeze anything, make lots of snowballs, and snow. My favorite creations are my 'fun' snowflakes, they make everyone enjoy themselves." He said as he created a fun flake, then with a mischievous look he blew it towards Diane, watching as the snowflake burst in her face and blue light streaked in her eyes, quickly disappearing.

Looking confused as she brushed the remainder of the snowflake from her face, Diane turned to Jack, "Was something supposed to happen?"

"Er...yes?" Jack said looking both surprised and disturbed, no one was ever _not_ affected by his snowflakes, even Pitch was affected!

"Your center is balance right? Maybe we can't corrupt you? Or in my case affect your decisions…" Jack said, thinking back to when Sandy had tried to put her to sleep.

"Hm" Diane said, more focused on the the clear blue frozen lake visible through a few trees ahead.

Just as she was about to run ahead, a group of snow balls flew through the trees and hit Jack straight in the face, knocking him to the ground.

"ATTACK!" A young brown haired boy screamed as he appeared from behind a nearby tree, at the sound of his yell, young children no older than 7 or 8 ran out from behind their hiding spots and continued pelting Jack Frost with snowballs, while he was 'played dead' on the ground.

Smiling and giggling at what she was seeing, Diane's eyes softened as she remembered all the times she had been in Jack's position while her kids had pelted her with snow balls.

As the children ran to get closer to Jack, the young brown haired boy and his younger sister unknowingly ran through the newly created sprit, reducing her to a gasping mess on the ground, causing Onyx to come out of her shadow when she felt her fear.

"Oh no." Jack said as the smile he had turned to sadness and alarm, as he saw Jamie and Sophie runaway in fear from the nightmare that had appeared near them. ' _How could I forget!?'_

"Jack!" Help!" "Freeze it!" the children yelled as they ran to hide behind Jack.

With tears in her eyes, Diane gasped shock on the ground, she could tell the children were panicking because of Onyx, but for the life of her she couldn't focus. Confusion, fear and dread ran rampant through her emotions as she tried to wrap her mind around the fact that two children had just _**run through her!**_

As Jack flew to her he called in a clear voice,"Diane, you need to calm down, your agitating Onyx and she's scaring the children!" He tried to float closer to her but Onyx refused to let anyone near her.

"Whats wrong with me?" she gasped, completely ignoring jack as she tried to calm herself, the feeling of panic finally ebbing.

"Jack?What's wron-" the brown haired boy said as he walked closer to Jack, feeling safe enough near Jack to be closer to the nightmare.

"No over there, it's not safe-" Jack said in a serious voice.

"Who are you talking to? There's no one there." Jamie said as he followed Jack's eyes and only saw the nightmare.

Flinching at the child's words, Diane finally looked at Jack with worried eyes, "They can't see me? Why can't they see me!"

At that moment Jack knew what to do as he slowly floated past the overprotective Onyx and landed by Diane, hugging her close as he tried to soothe her.

"Diane I know how you feel I had to go though this too. Look, I'll explain everything but you need to calm down. Onyx is worried and we can't have that, it's putting the little ones in danger. Don't worry everything will be okay I'll help you through this, you won't be alone..." Jack promised as he placed his head over her's. ' _...you won't be like me'_

Taking a deep breath, Diane left Jack's comforting embrace and went to calm Onyx down, managing to coax her back into her shadow. However her face still showed her uneasiness.

"Jack what did you do, that thing just disappeared!" Jaimie said voice in awe.

"Look I just have to make them realise you're here and they'll see you okay?" Jack said reassuringly with a strained smile at Diane.

"Okay kids, I want you guys to meet the most recent member of the Guardians, the Guardian of Balance!" Jack said with a loud and dramatic voice as he pointed to toward Diane.

At the blank and searching looks on the kids faces, Jack's smile fell and Diane felt horror as she thought of the kids in the orphanage. ' _they won't be able to see me either!'_

"Jack Frost are you playing another prank on us" Pippa said, with a confused look, "cause' we're not gonna fall for it a second time…"

"No! Really! She's right here!" Jack said as he felt desperation flash through him, regretting pulling a similar prank on the kids a few weeks ago. ' _Oh the irony!'_. Pulling at his hair, he formed a snowball in his hand and threw it at Diane, internally hoping it wouldn't cause Onyx to come back out or make Diane angry again.

Too surprised by his action to react, Diane could only stare at Jack with wide eyes as she felt snowball hit her. Now there was snow covering the top of her head and front of her body.

By the sudden gasps from the children, it appeared they could see the snow too, even if to them it was just floating.

"See!?" Jack said with a satisfied grin.

Both the children and Diane were still shocked by his actions to really form an answer.

"Now do you believe she's there?" Jack said, with a smirk to the kids.

"Yeah, but why can't we see her?" Cupcake said as she got closer to the floating snow, surprised as it backed away when she got too close.

"I uh don't really know…" Jack said with a frown, as he scratched the back of his neck, looking disappointed.

"Maybe you should ask the other guardians Jack, they could probably help." Jaime said as he looked at Jack's sad face.

"Yeah you're probably right kiddo" Jack said as he messed up Jaime's hair.

"Do you want to come, or I could take you back to Pitch's?" Jack said as he looked at Diane, who had an unreadable look on her face as she looked at Sophie, whose unruly blond hair resembled a certain someone she missed dearly.

Before she could answer, she noticed something in her vision change. With sinking feeling beginning to pool in her stomach she noticed a dark grey aura seem to seep from the way they had come. Looking around she noticed the forest had fallen silent. ' _Something's wrong…'_

"Can you see that?" Diane said in a quiet voice, face unsure and breathing quick as she began to tremble.

"See what?" Jack said as he looked toward where she was staring, "There's nothing there Diane." He said, with furrowed eyes.

The grey smog was growing closer, soon overpassing some children that were further away. Clearly the fog didn't affect the kids, but Diane couldn't help but want to run away at the thought of it touching her. She could feel Onyx try to pull her away from within her shadow. ' _I need to get away!'_

"Can you take me to where I died? Please I need to get-I want to visit..." She said, voice wavering as a familiar feeling began to pulse at her core.

"I'm not supposed to leave you alone, Pitch will _**kill**_ me if something happens, not to mention what Earth would do to me if something happened to you. Plus we should really see the guardians about-" Jack said with furrowed eyebrows, a clear 'no' in his expression.

"Okay, if you won't take me, then I'll go myself." She said as she began to back away from Jack and the creeping grey, whatever she could feel was starting to close in. "Take your kids home, something's not right here! I think it's them!" Diane said as she ran off trying to get away from the pulsing feeling she felt. As she ran, she could almost feel it speeding up towards her, almost as if it enjoyed the chase.

"Wait! What do you mean?!" Jack said, as he nearly ran after her, but stopped as he realised what she meant. If he chased he would be leaving the kids all alone, while there were three evil spirits that preyed on small children out and about. Blanching at the thought of them getting ahold of his believers he turned to the kids. ' _I can't leave them alone, I have to get them home! But Pitch will, the Guardians and Earth would, oh i'm in so much trouble'_ Jack thought as one hand reached to grip at his hair, while the other griped his staff tight. Having no other option, Jack created a few snow animals to chase after her, specifically two pure white wolves; for extra protection. ' _Please stay safe until we find you'_ he thought as he stared toward where Diane had run.

* * *

Running away far enough, Diane realised that she had no idea where she was running off to, having just taken off in a random direction.

"Now where do I go?" she said out loud, the odd feeling of wrong pulsing at her core was getting stronger, falling to her knees in frustration, an odd noise was heard. Looking to her left coat pocket she took out North's nap sack gift, the source of the clinking noise.

Eyes lighting up in realization, she reached inside and plucked a marble out. Looking at the little crystal ball in her hand, she smiled as she realized she could finally visit her family. ' _But wouldn't it be safer for me to go to Pitch? No, the grey fog seemed really dark near his home… I'll just pop by to check on Susie and then head back'_ She thought as she resolved her feelings, the pulsing in her core had increased. It wouldn't be long before whatever was near found her. Closing her eyes, she envisioned little Susie smiling. Thinking of the girl she whispered, "Take me to Susie" and let the marble drop to the floor.

As it fell and shattered a portal opened up underneath her and she fell through, just as a dark shadow reached out for her. Though it barely missing her arm as Onyx lept and pushed the figure away.

Turning as she fell through, Diane barely had enough time to see Onyx turn to sand as Krampus crushed the mare's neck before the portal closed.

Landing in a quiet room, Diane can't help but feel sad at the mare's death and unease as she remembered how he had looked at her. He seemed pleased to have founder her, almost like… ' _had been looking for me?…'_

Just as Diane's heart began to beat rapidly at the thought of those three after her, she heard a slight sob from within the room. Mind wiped of all other thoughts, Diane turned quickly looking toward the small figure that could slightly be seen from under a bed. Crouching down, she saw the one person who had never left her mind. "Susie…"

It was almost like any other problem or thought was unimportant as she saw tears falling from Susie's eyes. Almost by instinct, she reached out for the child, intent on comforting her. However her hand just phased through the child's body, Susie giving no reaction to having felt her.

"What's the use of being alive again if I can't even comfort you…" Diane said outloud, tired of the quiet sobs and silence that seemed to fill the room. Eyes seeming broken as she gazed at the crying figure in front of her, who she could not even hold.

Sitting on the floor near Susie, she leaned against the bed as she closed her eyes, heart hurting as the sobs continued throughout the room.

' _It's almost time for your nap… Mrs. Hanes better come soon, it's not good for you too keep crying like this… '_

Eyes closed, the sadness and unbalance was almost tangible in the air, ' _kids aren't meant to be this sad…'_

The children were sad at the loss of their home, and at the loss of a young woman whom they had all regarded as an older sister.

As the cries and sobs continued, it became too much for Diane to handle. Standing up she, deciding on visiting the rest of the children and while she was there.

The new home in which the children were at was a two story home with multiple rooms, it would have been a happy place if not for the mournful aura that seemed to surround the house.

Walking around and entering random rooms she found children ranging from ages 5-12 all either curled up on their beds hugging stuffed animals or watching TV without actually paying attention to what was showing. It was unsettling, watching children she knew very well could be hyper energy balls that never seemed to tire so without energy and smiles.

"How am I supposed to fix this If they can't see me?" She said out loud with an irritated huff. As she walked along the halls looking for , she couldn't help but think back to Krampus and the fact that he had actually found her.

' _How did he find me, though? Isnt this supposed to keep him away?'_ She thought as she pulled at the thin chain around her neck, the little snowflake attached to it glittered in the light.

' _What about that grey stuff? The kids didn't seem to be affected but...I hope Jack's kids are okay… maybe coming here was a bad idea, I should have just gone back with Pitch... He would know what to do.'_ She thought with a sigh.

Deciding on giving up her search for , she made her walk back to Susie's room, intent on spending as much time as she could with the little girl. Even if her tears and sobs pulled at her heart.

' _Hopefully she's stopped crying.'_

* * *

Wow its been a while since I posted...Heh sorry about that... anyways how are you all liking the story so far? Is it too slow on some points, does more explanation, etc.?

Comments, reviews, and questions are welcome, ill gladly answer, just please be polite, still starting off on this.

Also sorry for the small chap, me and my co-author have been a lil busy with all the hw the teachers are giving us, what with being so close to finals.

Agh the dreaded finals...


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8 - The truth**

* * *

 ***meanwhile in Pitch's** **lair** **home***

" **You let her do what! Why would you let her get away!"** Pitch screamed at Jack, the shadows around them warping with his anger.

" **Jack, If Mother Nature murder's me, I will take you down with me!"** Pitch said as he glared down at Jack

"Look, I had kids with me and I wasn't about to leave them _alone in a forest_ , when there's children murderers out on the loose!" Jack said, equally angry.

" **And if you had been smart enough to realise, you would have noticed how the forest reeked of fear and sent them home as soon as you saw them."** Pitch said as he glared at Jack.

"What do you mean fear?" Jack said as he narrowed his eyes.

" **As soon as you two left,...something was disturbed. It was- you know what, it doesn't even matter, what matters is whoever disturbed the...** _ **object**_ **used corrupt magic and it's begun to spreading."**

"Why didn't you come get us, while we were gone!" Jack said with an incredulous look.

" **I went to investigate the magic! I figured she would be safe with you and Onyx! ...I see now that I was wrong. Not only did you leave her** _ **alone**_ **, but Onyx got destroyed. And I couldn't even find the source of the magic. Though it wouldn't surprise me if it were** _ **them**_ **."** Pitch said with a sigh, much of his magic had gone into creating Onyx, she had been sentient and now she was gone. ' _Regenerating her will be tiring…'_

"What killed her? What was disturbed? Wait why am I even asking, Diane has no protection! We have to get her!" Jack said panicking, unknowingly making the room begin to frost over.

" **Stop it, as soon as this melts it's going to make a mess! I'll go get her, you stay with your believers Frost. I doubt the magic spreading will bring any good to the children. Though the magic will probably only affect the adults... Besides, there are far worst things that lurk in the dark now that** _ **they**_ **are loose. Stay alert. I may have shielded Diane from detection, but that protection does not extend to you. To them, you are still a child as well. If you need a sanctuary, come here or go to the others. The shadows will be instructed to protect you should you need it,** _ **now go**_ **."** Pitch said as he melded into the nearest shadow. Jack did not waste a second as he flew out of the lair and to town.

Focusing on his center, Pitch searched for the pull of his magic that came from Diane's necklace, the feeling was reminiscent to that of a pulled rubber band as his magic called out to him. Wasting not a moment, he shifted the shadows until he appeared in front of a sleeping child's bed. The girl was no older than five, and seemed to be dreaming of a family eating together. A family of five to be precise, A mother with a kind face, a father with a worn, but kind smile, and an older sister who hugged the sleeping girl's dream self.

Not one to waste a perfect meal, he placed his palm upon the dream corrupting sandy's magic, soon the shape morphed until only two shapes remained, the sleeping girl's self and the older sister ' _ **how odd that girl resembles…'**_ Pitch thought as he tried to place the older sister's grainy face, but his thought process was quickly stopped as young girl began to cry. Soon the young girl began whimpering and squirming as the 'older sister' in the dream seemed angry. As tears pooled at the edge of her sleeping eyes, the 'older sister's' eyes turned cold with anger as she mouthed 'It's all your fault' before she burst into flames. Crying and keening the little girl awoke, with tears running down her face, sobbing 'I'm sorry' over and over as she hugged the blanket to her.

Feeling dread as he realized who the 'older sister' had been. He backed away from the child. Unable to even stomach the fear that began to permeate the air. Hearing a sharp gasp come from the entrance of the room, he whirled around and stopped as he saw the surprised face of his charge. Through the connection of the necklace he could feel the feelings of cold anger beginning to form as she realised what he had done. Shaking with anger, Diane glared at him as the cries behind him grew louder. Looking over his shoulder, he saw that the young girl had spotted him. Usually he would feel glee at knowing a child feared in him, but now he didn't know what to feel.

"p-please! I-I did't wa-want her to get hurt! I didn't want that! The fire! It was s-so scary! I didn't know where to go so I hid, but it got so hot and hard to breath! I never wanted anything to happen to Diane!" the girl screamed at him, before breaking into a crying fit.

It was odd, he had never felt guilty for scaring a child before, but as he stared at the unwavering look of hopelessness of his charge as she looked at the crying girl, he couldn't help but feel it bubble up from his stomach as it burned at his throat.

"She thinks it's her fault I'm dead… she blames herself." Diane whispered, eyes empty as she clenched her fists, wanting to hug the crying girl with all her might even though she knew it would be useless.

' _ **Now she will react like the guardians usually do with this'**_ Pitch thought in resignation.

"Why? Why would you ruin her dream, she spent the whole afternoon crying and when she finally goes to sleep, you do that! You're horrible, why would you do that?!" Diane said, unknowingly striking a sensitive chord in Pitch's heart.

' _ **Ah there it is'**_

" **Incase you've forgotten** _ **child**_ **, I am the** _ **BOOGEYMAN**_ **, the King of Nightmares and Fear itself! I** _ **scare children**_ _ **,**_ **It's what I do! What I've always done. You being here has changed nothing."** Pitch said coldly. ' _ **Thats right she has changed nothing, she is merely a job I must complete.'**_

"That wasn't scaring, that was scarring! I don't care if children are afraid of the dark or of strangers, it's good for them to be afraid of that! It keeps them safe! But to be unreasonably afraid of something!? I can't agree with that!" Diane said, surprising Pitch with her words.

" **What?"** Pitch said, floored by her words.

' **So you would willingly allow a child to be afraid?"** He asked curious as to what her answer would be, no one had ever thought of his fear as Good.

Diane was the first person ever, to have thought of Pitch's meaning of living as 'good'

' _ **Once again, she surprises me with how different her views are. Is she really meant to be a Guardian?'**_ Pitch thought as he smiled eerily, looking at his charge's glaring eyes.

"I guess? Look I don't care right now, because I can't comfort Sofie! She can't hear me or _see_ me, but she...she can _see_ you..." Diane said as her eyes gleamed with an idea. " So, tell her I'm not mad. Tell her I don't care that I died… It wasn't even her fault! Please, Pitch, don't let her go on thinking that I hate her, because I don't! I could never hate her!" She pleaded as she clenched her fist in the front of his robe, slightly shaking him, trying to ignore the cries that could be heard behind them.

" **... fine. If that will make you… happy."** Pitch said as he turned to the young girl who was still being comforted by the others. ' _ **Maybe after this is over she wouldn't mind defeating the guardians with me. As it is she already doesn't really care for them… She could be a greater ally that Jack ever was, Earth children always where stronger...'**_ he mused, ignoring the warm feeling he felt as he thought of someone accepting him.

" **Child, enough with your sniveling, I have a message for you."** Pitch said, harshly,looming over the girl's bed. Let it never be said that the King of Darkness had a shred of tact when it came to sobbing children.

Sofie stopped crying instantly at the harsh words as her eyes widened at his proximity, however before Pitch could relay his message louder cries were heard emanating from the room after Sofie's brief pause of surprise.

Slight giggles could be heard from behind him, laughing at his horrible attempt at making a child stop crying.

" **She won't stop crying!"** He hissed as he rounded on his amused charge.

"Sofie's _five,_ of course she won't stop crying on demand, heck, I think you've made it worse" Diane said with a frown as she looked around Pitch to the crying girl.

" **Well if she won't listen awake, maybe she will while she sleeps."** Pitch said, throwing black sand at the girl.

The two spirits watched as the little girl fought the sleep, but eventually lost as she started dreaming, falling back onto the bed.

' **It'll be but a moment'** He said as he walked to the sleeping child in Ms. Hanes arms. Placing his cool hand on the child's warm forehead, his eyes briefly glowed gold as a dream cloud appeared above the child's head. However to Diane it just appeared as if Pitch was just intently staring at Suzie.

"Pitch? What are you doing?" Diane said in confusion, staring at her Guardian.

* * *

 **Pitch's Pov**

He had transported himself to the child's dream world, but he had honestly not expected to be transported to an old playground.

Walking around he noticed that the games were cracked and broken.

" **The constructions in a child's mind are representations of their psyche, if it's like this, the child must really be hurt…"** Pitch said murmuring to himself, unnerved by the quiet of the child's mind.

' _ **Usually it's filled with noise…'**_

"Are you here to punish me, to take me away and eat me?" A little girl's voice said.

Quickly whirling around he saw Suzie on a swing with a sad look on her face.

"I've been a bad girl, the older kids say the boogeyman takes away bad children and eats them, is that why you're here? Because I hurt Diane?" Suzie said with a calm sad voice.

" **You're not Suzie, who are you? Can I speak with her instead?"** He asked.

"No, Suzie is too sad, she's hiding in her happier memories. But anything you say to me she will remember. I am the voice of her soul, her true self, her subconscious." the Suzie lookalike said.

" **Alright, I came to assure her that Diane is not dead and holds no ill will towards her."** Pitch said with a frown on his face.

"Of course she isn't dead, Suzie visited her just yesterday in the hospital. Have you also entered Diane's mind, like you are now doing with Suzie? Is that how you know she isn't mad? Did you try and give her nightmares too?" the subconscious child said with a confused look on her face.

Pitch's eyes widened at the child's words. ' _ **Not dead?'**_

" **She's not dead, are you sure?"** Pitch said with narrowed eyes.

"No she is not. Now please leave Suzie wishes to wake up."

" **Alright but one more thing, Diane, what hospital is she in?"** Pitch said.

"Burgesses regional Hospital but wouldn't you know that already?" The soul said with a confused look.

" **It's nothing to bother yourself with, and make sure to tell Suzie that Diane still loves her and wishes for her to stop crying. It pains her to see her so sad."** Pitch said as he turned around, making to the exit of the park, the exit out of the girl's mind.

"Wait how would she know that Suzie was crying?! Mrs. Hanes said she's in a coma!" the Soul said with a desperate look on her face.

" **That's what I intend to find out, goodbye child. And a word of advise stay away from the woods and dark places. I may not harm children, but there are others out there like me that have not problem with hurting children. Warn the rest of the children as well while you're at it. After all it wouldn't be much of an orphanage without any children there now would it?"** Pitch said with an eerie smile as he exited the park, disappearing in an instant.

The soul remained behind left with many questions, but with an important one answered. Diane, the girl Suzie thought of as an older sister, didn't hate her. So with a smile the subconscious disappeared, as she felt Suzie wake up, leaving behind new gleaming toys in the park.

* * *

 **Elsewhere in Jack's Forest.**

Krampus was resting against a tree feeling no hurry to go back with the others. He was tired. He had done what Boreas had instructed him, but the spirit had neglected to tell him how much power he would have to use to weaken the seal. The seal that held Earth's only other child. The child, no teen, would provide a good distraction for The Spirit Council. With his insanity causing them problems it would leave him and the others with the freedom to travel around more. In the meantime Boreas would continue his plan that he had on taking back his Winter throne.

Krampus didn't care though, he was content with being out of the seal and causing problems for the council, even if he was indebted to the winter spirit. He never did care for world domination, none of them did, only Boreas.

He was tired, hungry but pleased. He had found Ostara's prey and had come close to capturing her but she got away. No matter he knew both would meet again. ' _ **At least now I know for sure the old shade truly was involved'**_ Krampus thought as grabbed the black sand that littered the ground near his body. He couldn't help but let out a chuckle as he thought of his old ' _friend's'_ weakened state. " **No he's not a friend anymore, he's a traitor that locked me and the others away."** He said as he fisted the sand in his hand, crushing it with his fist.

There was a rustle of movement to his left and out lept two snow creatures.

" **Wolves? How cliche"** Krampus said as he laughed.

" **The winter child is just like his predecessor, however"** He said as he lunged for the wolves, crushing one's head with a fist and grabbing the other by the neck " **he doesn't even know how to control his own power. Boreas would have never made his creatures this weak."**

Looking at the wolf he had in his hold as it struggled, Krampus began to laugh as an idea popped into his head.

" **An immortal spirit he may be but he is still a child. A child with immense powers, even if he has no control over them. A child that would be a perfect meal."** Krampus said to the wolf as he tightened his grip, causing Jack's pure white snow to drop to the ground, mixing with Pitch's black sand.

' _ **and he's coming right to me, how convenient.'**_ Krampus thought as he felt the winter magic near, so similar to Boreas' yet completely different.

* * *

Wow it has been a long time since I have update, which by the way I am sorry for. Just so you know I have no intention of ever abandoning my stories, some just take longer to write than others. So any ways any thoughts, comments, or questions feel free to make them or PM me and I will try to answer them. (obviously without giving away any spoilers)


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